Ribbon cut to officially open Wollaston School's new half-a-million-pound SEND facility

Planning for Admiral House was granted in April 2023 and now that it has been completed it includes a trampoline, water feature, classrooms and a sensory room. It was formally opened by James Saunders Watson, the Lord Lieutenant of Northamptonshire.

James Birkett, chief executive officer of Nene Valley Partnership, said: “As a trust we are really keen to make sure that we have solutions to problems.

“We’re really grateful to North Northants Council because similarly they’ve adopted an approach to support schools with SEND challenges.

“There’s definitely been an increase in need, and I think that’s true both locally and nationally. What we’re committed to is working with the local authority on improving provision.”

A recent report by the CQC and Ofsted in March highlighted ‘widespread systematic failings’ for SEND students in north Northamptonshire, believing that local area leaders have not jointly or accurately identified, assessed and provided for the needs of children and young people with SEND, and that leaders have ‘not ensured that there is a clear and cohesive strategic direction for the local partnership’.

Mr Birkett added: “My personal view is that the partnership approach is something that I think is really positive, and we’ve found that working with North Northants Council on that a really positive experience.

“In the media it’s fairly well documented that there are challenges with SEND funding and provision, and at Wollaston School and the Nene Valley Partnership what we always aim to be is a place that always tries to find solutions."

The new facility at Wollaston School will hope to be a safe space for those with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

The £561,000 project saw the former caretaker’s house extended and renovated to suit SEND children, allowing those who require access to the facilities to utilise it alongside their regular schooling.

At the ribbon-cutting, Mr Saunders Watson called the facility ‘supremely exciting’ and ‘really quite novel and revolutionary’.

North Northants Council secured the funding from the Department for Education, and the project was overseen by the Nene Valley Partnership, which was set up in 2019 and is also the trust in charge of Bozeat Primary, Cogenhoe Primary and Irchester Community Primary School.

Kate Bird, assistant SENDCO at Wollaston School, said: "Personally, I think there’s this middle ground of students who have additional needs primarily ASD and ADHD, and they would really benefit from specialist provision, but actually their academic capabilities are phenomenal and they’re able to achieve amazing results, but there’s nothing suitable for both.

"These students need a facility that nurtures them, but also allows them to to have the support to access mainstream lessons and get good qualifications to prepare them for work.”