Surrey School Receives Approval for New SEN Classroom

A Surrey school has received approval for the construction of a new Special Educational Needs (SEN) classroom. Surrey County Council (SCC) confirmed that this new facility at St John the Baptist School in Woking is designed to educate 30 autistic students, aged 11-16, from the local area and its vicinity. According to council documents, a substantial number of children with additional needs and disabilities currently face lengthy commutes to access suitable educational institutions. The county council’s objective is that establishing a new SEN unit in Woking will offer residents with autistic children more convenient access to specialized services and decrease travel durations. The project encompasses a standalone, single-storey structure to be situated adjacent to the arts block, complemented by 37 parking and bicycle spaces. The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that the new building is planned for a location behind the main school, on the right-hand side, positioned between the football pitch and the remainder of the playing field. Despite the classroom’s proposed construction on a playing field within green belt land, members of a planning regulatory committee concurred that exceptional circumstances justified the project’s progression. Planning documents indicate that Surrey has experienced substantial increases in the number of children requiring SEN provision, leading to a persistent shortage of specialist school places in Woking and north-west Surrey.