As a nation, we are seeing an increase in the number of children identified as having additional needs. At Shipley CE Primary School, 21 per cent of our pupils are on the SEND register and 5.6 per cent have EHCPs. Both numbers are above the national averages, and both are set to rise further.
However, establishing effective SEND provision is a complex process, and like many schools across the country, we have faced a few hurdles including a tight budget, challenges to recruit specialist staff, and the need to grow our own knowledge. But our vision was clear: create a dedicated, nurturing space where children with communication and interaction needs, including autism, for whom the mainstream classroom was not appropriate, could thrive.
Our journey began with a bold decision to repurpose our no-longer-used ICT suite into a bespoke SEND provision, named The Orchard. The project was made possible thanks to our Trust, the Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust (BDAT), which helped us secure additional funding.
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