Contact: Sue Dorney-Smith, Education Officer SEN (01962 846418)

[email protected]

Richard Vaughan, Building Planning Officer (01962 846683) [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 The following decision is sought:

that the Executive Member for Education approve the publication of a Notice in accordance with Section 28 of the Schools Standards and Framework Act 1998 for the establishment of resourced specialist provision for up to ten pupils with moderate learning difficulties (MLD) at Liss Junior School in Liss with effect from September 2008.

2 Reason

2.1 This decision supports the following Hampshire County Council priorities:

"Making Hampshire safer and more secure for all" and "Maximising well-being" by improving the quality of education provided to some children with moderate learning difficulties in the East Hampshire area

2.2 The decision supports the following Aims of the Children Act:

enjoying and achieving; making a positive contribution; economic well-being by providing improved opportunities for some children with moderate learning difficulties to achieve success at school.

3 Other options considered and rejected:

3.1 Without this provision, a number of primary aged pupils with significant MLD, who could benefit from inclusion in a mainstream school, may need to be provided for at the new Hollywater School. This could lead to it continuing to be over capacity. Alternatively, the children may attend an alternative mainstream school but may lack the same level of specialist support.

3.2 Surprisingly perhaps, it has proved difficult to identify primary schools in the area willing to make this provision and no other schools are therefore being actively considered for this development at the current time.

4 Conflicts of Interest declared by the decision maker or other Executive Member consulted

4.1 `None'.

5 Dispensation granted by the Standards Committee -

5.1 `None'.

6 Reason(s) for the matter being dealt with if urgent -

6.1 Not applicable.

Approved by: Date:

........................................

Councillor David Kirk

Executive Member for Education