Further Options For Special Education In Cardiff Set To Be Explored
Cardiff Council’s Cabinet will consider recommendations to carry out a further review of speech and language support in Cardiff following consultation on proposals published at the end of last year.
The original proposals aimed to reshape special education, in response to the falling numbers of parents choosing to send their children to specialist schools, preferring mainstream education instead.
Explaining the plans to look at further options, Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Sarah Merry said: “The children and young people in Cardiff with special needs are at the centre of the proposals which were set out at the end of last year.
“There has been extensive consultation on the options put forward in the December 2015 report with a wide range of views expressed, and this current report sets out the council’s response.
“Given the critical importance of making sure that we serve the needs of the children and young people as best we can, it is essential that we take the time needed to come to a fully informed decision.
“I have therefore asked for additional work to be done to engage with all those people concerned about the original proposals, before bringing forward revised options for consideration.
“In the meantime we will work with Meadowbank and Allensbank schools to ensure that they continue to operate.”
The original proposals consulted on were:
Close Meadowbank Special School at the end of the academic year 2017.
Continue to maintain a Specialist Resource Base at Allensbank School but cease admission of pupils with speech and language difficulties, unless transferring from Meadowbank Special School. Re-designate this as a Specialist Resource Base for pupils with autism spectrum conditions, starting at the school from September 2018.
Continue to maintain a Specialist Resource Base at Fairwater School but cease admission of pupils with behaviour, emotional and social difficulties. Re-designate this as an Early Intervention Class from September 2018.
Maintain the specialist classes at Glan Yr Afon (Revolving Door) and Springwood (Nurture Class), but rebadge these as Early Intervention Classes, adopting the proposed admission criteria and operational procedures outlined above from September 2018.
Identify four additional primary schools (one in the Welsh-medium sector, three schools in the English-medium sector) in various locations across the city to host Early Intervention Classes.
The timescales for developing alternative proposals will depend on the views put forward through further engagement with stakeholders.
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