Theale School Celebrated for Special Needs Support

A school in Theale has been championed for teaching and looking after pupils with special educational needs.

Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary, and Olivia Bailey, the Labour MP for Reading West and Mid Berkshire, visited Theale Church of England Primary School on Thursday 16 January to highlight the Government’s £200 million Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) training programme to upskill staff in every school, college and nursery.

Mrs Bailey MP said: “Theale CofE Primary is a fantastic school, which the headteacher, Catherine Morley and her team are rightly proud of. It was great for the Secretary of State to see pupils working hard and enjoying history, music, dance and drama.”

“And I am really pleased that the investment of £200 million over the course of this Parliament for training on SEND – the most ambitious and comprehensive SEND training offer ever seen by the English schools system, so that more children and young people with SEND to thrive at their local nursery, school or college.”

The visit formed part of Mrs Phillipson’s tour of the area to champion the government’s work to improve education and childcare. Earlier the same day she visited Uplands Primary School and Nursery in Sandhurst to observe the nursery staff looking after two-year-olds after it won grant funding to expand its nursery provision from the government.

James Aldridge, Local Democracy Reporter