Bluecoat C of E Primary School, Great Torrington: Resourced Provision

Update 24 June 2024

Following the completion of the statutory process, Devon County Council’s Cabinet has approved the following two separate proposals to establish Resourced Provision at Bluecoat Church of England Primary School, Great Torrington

Proposal 1: to formally establish the 8 place Key Stage 2 (KS2) Bluecoat Group to become a Resource Base for 12 pupils at KS2 with Complex Needs (Cognitive, Social Emotional and Mental Health, Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Speech, Language and Communication Needs) from September 2024.

Proposal 2: to establish a Resource Base for 8 pupils with Complex Needs (Cognitive, Social Emotional and Mental Health, Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Speech, Language and Communication Needs) for Reception/Key Stage 1 from September 2024.

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Archived information

The provision will be for learners who have an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) and placements will be agreed by Devon County Council’s SEN Statutory Team.

The proposals are part of a County-wide strategy by Devon County Council to increase Resource Base provision in response to the demand for increased special educational needs provision and to enhance the inclusive capacity of mainstream schools.

A Resource Base supports learners whose needs can be met in a mainstream setting but who require a specialist environment and support within the school. Pupils are supported within this environment with an Education Health and Care Plan, small class sizes and high staffing ratios. Their plan will also support their involvement in larger classes within the school according to the needs and progress of the pupil. Our aim is to enable pupils to fulfil their potential to successfully access part or all of the curriculum within the mainstream school.

Evidence of demand and objectives
Devon has one of the lowest percentages of learners accessing Resourced Provision in comparison to its statistical neighbours and is lower than the national average. Alongside this Devon has seen a significant increase in the number of children and young people with Education and Health Care Plans (EHCP) in recent years.

These proposals will ensure a better offer for children and young people that is local and suitable to their needs. These proposals will support more children with special educational needs to be educated and thrive in their local school and community, facilitating better access to the curriculum and avoiding the need for children to travel to an appropriate school further away from their local community.
These proposals are in line with Devon County Council’s planning and commissioning of Special Needs provision and Devon’s Local Offer.

Education standards and curriculum
Bluecoat C of E Primary School was last inspected by Ofsted in September 2023, and is a Good school. The Ofsted report outlines that this is an inclusive and caring school. The school has high expectations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff have detailed knowledge of pupils with SEND and adapt teaching appropriately for pupils with additional needs. Specialist SEND provision in ‘Bluecoat’ and ‘Nest’ is particularly effective. Pupils with SEND develop important skills for learning and social interactions.
All Ofsted reports are available via: www.ofsted.gov.uk

Improvement in standards, quality and range of educational provision
To ensure standards, quality and range of provision, expressions of interest were invited by Devon County Council from schools interested in extending their special educational capacity in areas of need. The criteria for selection considered applications only from ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ Ofsted rated schools and invited expressions of interest from within both primary and secondary schools and using selection criteria to ensure a good geographical spread, that there was existing capacity within the school to develop the base and there was staff expertise and specialist support available in the setting.

At Bluecoat C of E Primary School, the opportunity for pupils within the group to remain within the local community and access key experiences alongside peers working within the mainstream has been particularly valued by pupils and their families. The bespoke provision available will be dependent on the needs of the pupils identified but will include personalised individual teaching programmes incorporating social and intensive emotional support including specialist sensory and language provision, alongside group work and opportunities to participate in small class groups for shared curriculum input alongside their peers, where appropriate.

The effect on other Schools, Academies and educational institutions in the area:
The provision of a Resource Base at Bluecoat C of E Primary School would not have a negative effect on other schools.

Project Costs and Revenue
Capital funding of £113,000 has been approved by Devon County Council to support the provision of two Resource Bases, should the proposals be approved. This will include remodelling of the internal space, creation of a sensory room, fencing, landscaping and enhancement of the outdoor learning area, enabling the school to provide a secure, self-contained environment within which to meet the needs of the pupils accessing this provision.
Revenue funding from Devon County Council is in place to support these proposals.

Implementation and any proposed stages for implementation
It is proposed to establish both of the Resource Bases from the beginning of term, September 2024.

Effect on existing pupils
The Resource Base/s will not effect the Published Admission Number of the school.

Consultation
A pre-publication consultation was held between 19 February and 22 March 2024. Two responses were received.

The Exeter Diocesan Board of Education Committee responded to the consultation confirming the support of the Diocesan Board of Education in relation to both proposals.

A local school responded to the consultation, following a visit to the Nest and Bluecoat Group. The Headteacher commented that it is clear that Bluecoat has an aspiration to be a highly inclusive school that meets the needs of children in the local community. In order to do this effectively it is essential that the school is in receipt of proper funding to provide a high-quality provision. The proposals offer a solution to the specialist school places crisis that we are experiencing in North Devon and a model that other schools and trusts can learn from.

Responding to formal consultation – representation stage
You can object to or comment on this proposal by:

Emailing: schoolconsultations@devon.gov.uk
Writing to: Shona Meek, School Place Planning, Room 120, Devon County Council, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter, EX2 4QD.

by the closing date of 13 May 2024.

All responses to the consultation will be shared with the Senior Leadership Team and Governing Body of the school unless you request otherwise. We will not send individual responses to any specific points made.

Please see Devon County Council’s Privacy Notice for further information: www.devon.gov.uk/privacy/privacy-notices/privacy-notice-for-representations-to-school-organisation-statutory-consultations/