Plans to redevelop Brookfield School

Herefordshire Council leaders are expected to consider plans to spend up to almost £4m on redeveloping Brookfield School in Hereford.

Cabinet will consider approving the investment to improve the special educational needs school which serves some 80 pupils.

The proposals include a more robust fire evacuation at the school and releasing the council owned split site facility at Symonds Street.

If approved, it will allow the capacity to deliver the full statutory curriculum at Brookfield.

The scheme also includes improved accommodation for girls with social emotional mental health needs.

Council officers say this will ensure that there is high quality sustainable educational accommodation for children and young people with social
emotional and mental health special needs in Herefordshire.

Commissioning, procurement and assets cabinet member Gemma Davies said in her report the improvement is needed because the academy school is the only Herefordshire school that can provide the required places for children and young people with social emotional and mental health needs.

“These pupils all have an education health care plan (EHCP) describing their needs, and how these needs should be met,” she said.

“If this school does not meet these requirements, significantly higher costs for the education of these children and young people will be incurred, by the commissioning of places in independent schools or settings outside Herefordshire (typically an out of county day placement for SEND of this designation would be between £60-£80k, with added transport costs dependent on location).

“In addition children would be subject to longer travel times to and from school, and have no choice but to be educated outside their community.

“Officers in the Children and Families Directorate are in direct communication
with the DfE education and skills funding agency to make a case for some central government funding that would, if available, support the costs of some of the health and safety elements of the proposed improvement project.”

The cabinet meeting is scheduled for 2pm at Shire Hall on March 31.