Herefordshire Council to Inject £4m into School SEND Services

Herefordshire’s schools are set to benefit from a multi-million-pound investment aimed at enhancing their special education needs and disabilities (SEND) provision. Herefordshire Council announced it has secured over £4 million from the government, designated to provide “better access to learning for children.” Councillor Ivan Powell commented that every child deserves “to receive the best education possible,” and this funding will enable the authority to expand its SEND offerings. Among the planned initiatives, The Ryefield Centre in Ross-on Wye will undergo refurbishment to establish a dedicated small SEND school. Additionally, SEND inclusion will be broadened within mainstream schools to better support students requiring extra assistance. Aylestone School, Leominster, and Trinity Primary Schools are also slated to expand the support services they offer to students with SEND requirements. This new funding follows a previous £2.67 million investment, which facilitated the expansion of the Language and Communication Centre (LCC) at Hampton Dene Primary School and improvements at Barrs Court School to create additional specialist placements. Councillor Harry Bramer stated that the financial support from the Department for Education would assist the authority in addressing the increasing demand for special school places.