Tooting: Garratt Park Special School to increase number of students as part of £5m SEND plan

Wandsworth Council has announced a £5m plan to provide more school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

As part of the announcement, Garratt Park Special School will be increasing its authorised capacity from 178 places to 210.

The £5m plan was formally approved by the council's executive, paving the way for the plan to be carried out.

The funding will pay for 119 additional places at local schools for children with a range of needs.

Other announcements include:

• The establishment of a new resource base at Swaffield primary school in Southfields for up to 16 children with autism (ASD) and/or social, emotional and mental health needs/anxiety (SEMH).

• The establishment of a new resource base at Putney's Granard primary school for up to 42 children with autism associated with learning difficulty and/or SEMH needs.

• An increase in the authorised capacity of the Savio resource base at St John Bosco College in Battersea from 25 to 45 places in the age range from Year 11 to Year 13.

• An increase in the authorised capacity of the Devereux resource base at St John Bosco College from 7 to 18 places.

Money will also be invested in improving classroom capacity at Paddock special school in Roehampton, as well as plans currently being drawn up for a 12-place resource base for pupils with SEMH needs at Burntwood Academy.

Wandsworth's cabinet member for education and children's services Cllr Will Sweet said: "This is a significant investment in providing more high-quality school places for children in our borough with special needs and disabilities.

"We want to make sure that every child in Wandsworth has all the support they need to grow and to thrive and achieve their best. This is particularly important for children who have special needs and I'm proud that we are putting this extra funding into supporting their education."

His words were echoed by the borough's director of children's services Ana Popovici who added: "We want Wandsworth to be a place where children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities are everyone's priority and feel like they belong in an inclusive local community."

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