Kennet Valley Primary School’s special needs unit has been temporarily closed. The social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) unit at the school in Carters Rise, Calcot, has been affected, with ten children impacted by the closure.
West Berkshire Council has apologised and said it is “trying to resolve the situation”.
Heather Codling, deputy leader of West Berkshire Council and executive member for children and family services, said: “West Berkshire Council has temporarily closed the SEMH Unit at Kennet Valley Primary School due to ongoing staffing difficulties that have made it impossible to sustain a stable and consistent SEMH provision.”
The council said the decision was taken jointly with the headteacher and governing body after repeated shortages left staffing levels below what was needed for a continuous, high-quality service.
It added the unit, like many specialist settings nationally, has faced recruitment and retention challenges that disrupted provision and affected consistency of support for pupils.
Families have been contacted directly and the council is working with the school to provide suitable alternative education and support while it acts to strengthen staffing, plan site improvements and develop a more sustainable model.
A comprehensive review is under way to inform an improvement plan for the unit, and the council says it is committed to restoring a stable, well staffed, and high-quality SEMH provision for pupils and will keep families updated as the work progresses.
Niki Hinman, Local Democracy Reporter
