Wokingham's deputy leader says there aren't enough places for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Prue Bray, who leads Children's services, has been pushing the council to create more specialist classes through planning applications.
Ms Bray said: "We are opening as many as we can, as quickly as possible to help children locally. "We've got a 5-year plan for places for the SEND sufficiency plan. It will make a great deal of difference to what we have available. "There are different strands for additional needs and Wokingham is trying to fulfil the most urgent of those."
The council admits the SEND system faces an acute challenge because of past gaps in provision and the time it takes to build specialist capacity. Children's needs vary hugely.
Pupils with moderate and specific learning disabilities often need simplified materials, lots of repetition and extra adults. Those with severe or multiple disabilities can need intensive support, personalised programmes and adapted environments. Children with physical or sensory needs sometimes need specialist settings, adapted spaces, equipment and assistive technology.
Over the next four years the council plans to create 625 additional SEND places across early years, primary, secondary and post-16 provision.
In 2026 it expects to deliver 164 new places, including 16 specialist early years places, 28 primary autism spectrum disorder places, 30 primary social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) places, 25 secondary autism spectrum disorder places and 25 secondary communication and language places.
For 2027 a further 113 new places are planned: 28 through special school expansion, 21 primary ASD places, 21 primary communication and language places, 35 secondary ASD places and 8 for hearing impairment.
Provision ramps up in 2028 with 213 places, including 16 early years places, an Early Help SEND hub, a new Special Free School with 120 places, a resource base at Spencers Wood Primary School with 14 places, 8 primary SEMH places, 15 secondary SEMH places and a second post-16 hub.
In 2029 the programme will add about 135 places via refurbishment of the special free school providing another 80 places, a social, emotional and mental health resource base with 15 places for secondary children and 50 places at a third post-16 hub.
Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter
