Purpose of this consultation page
This document explains the proposal by us to increase the number of places at Springwater School in line with the building programme at the school, and to enable pupil numbers to increase in time as appropriate for the school to manage.
Springwater School is a community special school in Starbeck near Harrogate serving children from 2 to 19 years. The school had 112 pupils on roll during 2023/24.
Following discussions with the Governors and Headteacher, Springwater School has been selected to deliver an additional 45 school places. We are now asking for your views on this proposal as part of the statutory process which is required before alterations of these kind are made to maintained schools.
Stakeholder engagement event
There will be a stakeholder engagement event on Wednesday 2 October at 5:30pm at Springwater School, High Street, Starbeck, Harrogate.
Background to the proposal
We have a duty to keep its special education provision under review and ensure there is the right type of provision and enough places to meet the needs of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
We want all children and young people with SEND in North Yorkshire to;
- have the best educational opportunities so that they achieve the best outcomes
- be able to attend a school or provision locally, where they can make friends and be part of their local community
- make progress with learning, have good social and emotional health and be prepared for a fulfilling adult life
We know that there are more children and young people being identified as having special educational needs in North Yorkshire and we expect this increase to continue. We need to make sure that we have the right type of education provision in the right place to meet their needs. We know that a number of our children and young people have to go to school outside North Yorkshire, and we want to avoid this wherever possible.
We have developed a specific SEND Capital Investment Programme as part of the Local Area SEND Strategy 2023 to 2026 which aims to increase the availability of specialist places. This will be achieved through expansion of existing special schools, the building of new special schools and investment in mainstream SEN resource bases, known locally as Targeted Mainstream Provisions.
This page explains the proposal that we are consulting on with regard to Springwater School. The local area strategy document can be found on our local area SEND strategy 2023 to 2026 page. We recommend that you read this document before responding to the survey and giving us your views on the individual proposal.
What changes are proposed?
We are proposing to carry out the following change to Springwater Special School:
- permanently increase the number of places the School can offer to pupils, from 112 to 157 from September 2025
- expand the school site and improve the facilities available to accommodate additional pupil numbers at the school
Why do we want to do this? Background
The school provided 112 pupil places in 2023/24. It provides support for pupils with Speech, language and Communication, Autism, Multi-Sensory Impairment, Physical Disability, Severe Learning Difficulty and Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties. All pupils attending the School have an EHCP. Springwater School is rated as a good school by Ofsted.
Evidence of demand
There is significant need for more school places in North Yorkshire for children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), both in special schools and Resource Bases in mainstream schools. There has been an increase in the number of children with EHCPs in North Yorkshire by 95% since 2018 from 2606 to c.5100.
We are proposing the above prescribed changes, in line with our Local Area SEND Strategy to ensure children who need a specialist setting can access it as close to home as possible.
Why has Springwater School been chosen?
Springwater School:
- meets the required need for additional places, without causing concern of overprovision
- have an Ofsted ranking of Good
- has the capacity to provide suitable accommodation within existing internal and external space available and within planning / buildability constraints
- the school meets the required need, it is popular and has enough space to accommodate expansion
The local authority has confidence in the leadership capacity of the school to accommodate the additional numbers.
How will this affect pupils at the school?
Pupils will notice some changes but those are likely to be limited. The school will grow gradually in numbers and the increase will be phased so the change in pupil numbers will occur over a period of time. School places will be commissioned by us in line with the SEN Code of Practice.
All necessary adaptations to the building will be carried out as part of the planned expansion. With the additional pupils, the school might decide to organise the school differently to ensure educational continuity but as always that will be the school’s decision. Please be reassured that the high standard of education and care for your child will remain and it is expected that the capital investment will enhance the facilities available to all pupils attending the school. The alterations will enable existing and future pupils to access high quality learning spaces, improved changing facilities, a training kitchen as well as improved recreational spaces.
How will this affect staff?
Staff will generally be unaffected; however, the investment proposed in the school’s facilities will improve the working environment considerably and support staff to better meet the needs of children. A larger school will also require increased staffing and might also create a greater range of posts over time.
Will there be changes to the school building/school site?
The proposed increase in places means we will have to do some building work at Springwater School and the detail of the accommodation has been agreed with the school’s leaders and governors. We own the school site and the buildings where expansion is planned to accommodate additional numbers at the school.
Details of the new accommodation
The aim of the building project is to create a well-designed SEN provision which is fit for purpose and will improve the existing provision in the main school building. Two of our buildings have been identified for upgrading and re-modelling, these are adjacent to the current school site and further along the High Street: 1) Starbeck Central, 2) Meadowbank
Additional facilities will include; dedicated classroom spaces, group rooms, hygiene/changing facilities, secure outdoor space, Sports Court for recreation and physical education, Training Kitchen, dedicated outdoor sixth form area, reception/office space and sensory room. Ramped access will be created between the existing and the new site.
Within the proposals being developed to improve the school’s facilities and to meet ongoing demand, consideration has been given to parking. Within the constraints of the site available, access improvements have been considered. It is proposed to provide a dedicated drop off and pick up point to alleviate congestion in the school’s main car park.
Starbeck Community Library premises as part of Starbeck Central building will remain un-changed by the proposed new provision and will remain in operation during the works.
It is planned that building works will start in January 2025 and conclude in the summer term and in advance of the start of the autumn term 2025. There will be limited impact on the main school site during works as Starbeck Central and Meadowbank are separate buildings.
How can I make my views known?
During the consultation period, you have the opportunity to let us know what you think about the proposed enlargement of Springwater School. The issues raised during the consultation will be considered when we decide whether or not to proceed to the next stage of this process.
How are we consulting?
This current school organisation proposal is purely about the proposed expansion and increase in numbers at Springwater School, Starbeck.
We are asking you to give your views on the proposals to add additional places to Springwater School. If you would like a paper copy of the survey or an alternative format, please call our customer service centre on 01609 780 780.
You can complete the survey below.
Springwater school consultation
What is the timescale?
The closing date for responses is 5pm on 11 October 2024. All responses to the consultation received by this date will be considered by our Executive on 5 November 2024. If our executive decides to proceed with the proposal, then statutory notices would be published in the local press on 14 November 2024. These notices provide a further four weeks for representations to be made. A final decision would then be made by our executive on 7 January 2025.
Anticipated Key Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Consultation opens | 6 September 2024 |
| Stakeholder consultation event | 2 October 2024 at Springwater school at 5:30pm |
| Consultation closes | 11 October 2024 |
| Council Executive considers consultation response | 5 November 2024 |
| Statutory notices published (4 weeks for representations to be made) | 14 November to 12 December 2024 |
| Final decision by Council's Executive | 7 January 2025 |
| Proposed implementation date | 1 September 2025 |