This government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their full potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.
The NCSE has advised that the local special educational needs organiser (SENO) continues to work closely with the student’s family regarding options for school placements for the coming academic year.
Reconfiguration works to provide two special education classrooms, and two mainstream classrooms is in delivery for the school referred to by the Deputy. The use of the parish hall is part of this brief.
A full statutory application for change of use was required to facilitate the use of the parish hall as part of the project. A decision to grant planning permission for change of use was received on 13 June. A four-week appeal period has now commenced, if no appeal is lodged works on the project can begin week commencing the 14 July 2025.
The department is working to ensure the expedited delivery of all required accommodation solutions for special classes, and it is expected that the required accommodation will be in place for the start of the school year in the vast majority of cases. Where this is not the case, the NCSE and department will support the school to put appropriate contingency arrangements in place to ensure that these classes can open while permanent accommodation is being provided.
