Wiltshire Resource Base developments
News and updates about Wiltshire's SEND resource base developments.
From September 2024 Wiltshire will have 24 primary resource bases. These are located across the county to meet demand and provide countywide coverage.
Between September 2020 and September 2024, Wiltshire will have increased from 16 to 24 primary age resource bases (with three new resource bases planned to open September 2024) and from 285 to 485 primary resource base places, an increase of 200 places, as shown in the table below.
To meet the continued increase in demand, the plan is to grow Wiltshire's primary resource base places by a further 40 places per year by opening new and expanding current provision.
School name | Town | Designation | 2020 places | 2024 places | Increase 20-24 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Castle Mead | Trowbridge | Complex Needs (CN) | 20 | 35 | 15 |
Charter | Chippenham | Communication & Interaction (C&I) | 14 | 18 | 4 |
Christ The King | Amesbury | Communication & Interaction (C&I) | 18 | 24 | 6 |
Clarendon Infants | Tidworth | Complex Needs (CN) | 0 | 20 | 20 |
Frogwell | Chippenham | Complex Needs (CN) | 20 | 25 | 5 |
Greentrees | Salisbury | Autism | 10 | 10 | 0 |
Kiwi | Bulford | Complex Needs (CN) | 0 | 24 | 24 |
Lyneham | Lyneham | Communication & Interaction (C&I) | 0 | 20 | 20 |
Marden Vale | Calne | Complex Needs (CN) | 15 | 15 | 0 |
St Mary's | >Marlborough | Complex Needs (CN) | 18 | 18 | 0 |
River Mead | Melksham | Complex Needs (CN) | 20 | 35 | 15 |
Manor Fields | Salisbury | Complex Needs (CN) | 20 | 20 | 0 |
Sarum St Paul's | Salisbury | Hearing Impairment (HI) | 6 | 6 | 0 |
St Mark's Juniors | Salisbury | Communication & Interaction (C&I) | 0 | 20 | 20 |
Studley Green | Trowbridge | Complex Needs (CN) / Communication & Interaction (C&I) | 34 | 34 | 0 |
The Avenue | Warminster | Complex Needs (CN) | 24 | 28 | 4 |
Wansdyke | Devizes | Complex Needs (CN) | 28 | 28 | 0 |
Westbury Juniors | Westbury | Complex Needs (CN) | 13 | 15 | 2 |
Westbury Infants | Westbury | Complex Needs (CN) | 10 | 20 | 10 |
Wilton | Wilton | Communication & Interaction (C&I) | 15 | 20 | 5 |
Wyndham Park Infants | Salisbury | Communication & Interaction (C&I) | 0 | 20 | 20 |
Clarendon Juniors Planned to open September 2024, subject to consultation | Tidworth | Complex Needs (CN) | 0 | 10 | 10 |
St Paul's Planned to open September 2024, subject to consultation | Chippenham | Complex Needs (CN) | 0 | 10 | 10 |
Zouch Primary Planned to open September 2024, subject to consultation | Tidworth | Communication & Interaction (C&I) | 0 | 10 | 10 |
Totals | N/A | N/A | 285 | 485 | 200 |
St Paul's, Chippenham
A new resource base is planned to open for September 2024 subject to consultation. The new provision will be for up to 10 places in the first year and growing to up to 20 places and will have the Complex Needs designation. The full proposal is available on the Local Offer: SEN Place Projects.
Clarendon Juniors, Tidworth
The resource base at Clarendon Infants, Tidworth opened September 2022 and has 20 places. Subject to consultation, Clarendon Juniors resource base will open from September 2024, initially for up to 10 places and then increasing to up to 24 places in future years. Both resource bases have the Complex Needs designation and together they will cover the full primary age range from Reception to Year 6. The full proposal for Clarendon Juniors is available on the Local Offer: SEN Place Projects.
Kiwi, Bulford
The resource base at Kiwi Primary School, Bulford opened September 2022, initially for up to 10 places with a Complex Needs designation. Following improvements to the indoor and outdoor facilities, the resource base will grow to up to 24 places from September 2024.
St. Mark's Juniors, Salisbury
The resource base at St. Mark's Juniors, Salisbury opened September 2021, initially for up to 10 places along-side the Wyndham Park Infants, Salisbury resource base, next door. Both resource bases have a Communication & Interaction designation. The Wyndham Park Infants resource base expanded in September 2022, and it is planned for St. Mark's Juniors resource base to expand, subject to consultation, to up to 20 places from September 2024.
The Grove, Trowbridge
The Grove Primary School has significant building work taking place that will be completed summer 2025. As part of this project, a new resource base is being added to the school with a Communication and Interaction designation. The resource base will open September 2025, initially for up to 10 places and then growing to up to 20 places in future years.
Secondary Resource Bases
Wiltshire has three secondary age resource bases. The resource bases at Clarendon Academy and John of Gaunt, both in Trowbridge, were new September 2023.
School Name | Town | Designation | 2020 Places | 2024 Places | Increase 20-24 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Clarendon Academy | Trowbridge | Cognition & Learning (C&L) | 0 | 10 | 10 |
John of Gaunt | Trowbridge | Communication & Interaction (C&I) | 0 | 10 | 10 |
Sheldon | Chippenham | Hearing Impairment (HI) | 8 | 8 | 0 |
Totals | N/A | N/A | 8 | 28 | 20 |
The ambition is to grow the number of secondary age resource bases so Wiltshire can offer an alternative to special school provision for pupils aged 11-16. The aim to create an additional 40 places per annum split between C&L and C&L (the demand for HI is much lower). The plan is to open new resource bases across the county subject finding suitable, willing schools.
- Nationally, and in Wiltshire, the number of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) is rising (by 15.8% in Wiltshire from January 2023 - January 2024)
- In Wiltshire, between 2015 - 2023, mainstream school places increased by 6% and High Needs SEN places increased 66%!
- We are forecasting a continued rise in demand for special school and resource base places between 2024-2027
- Wiltshire plans to commission a further 100 special school places each year from 2024 - 2027 to meet the increasing demand and to avoid the need for additional independent special school places
- Wiltshire plans to commission 40 new primary resource base places each year from 2024 - 2027, spread across the county
- Wiltshire aims to commission 40 new secondary resource base places each year from 2024 - 2027, spread across the county, subject to finding suitable schools
Capital resources
Wiltshire Council funds its High Needs capital projects from a range of sources. DfE High Needs capital grant allocation - the amount and timing varies. We will receive approximately £20 million in the 4 years to 2024/25
Year | Grant | Status |
---|---|---|
2021/22 | 2,055,333 | Fully spent on resource bases and special school places |
2022/23 | 6,753,046 | Fully spent on resource bases and special school places |
2023/24 | 8,630,682 | Continuation of High Needs Strategy priorities |
2024/25 | 2,591,776 | Continuation of High Needs Strategy priorities |
Total | 20,030,836 | N/A |
- DfE Free School allocations for successful bids (including SAIL in Salisbury; SEMH Free School (Bitham Park); and the AP Free School in partnership with Reach South)
- Wiltshire Council capital funding for specific schemes, e.g. £36 million investment in Silverwood School, including the Rowde new build, the Rowde Main House, Chippenham and Trowbridge campuses). Also, capital investment in the refurbishment of Melksham House and the acquisition of Calder House School in Colerne.
- Wiltshire Council borrowing
- Safety Valve capital, still to be confirmed
The Place Plan for the next few years
We have developed a Place Plan, which sets out how many special school, primary resource base and secondary resource base places we need for the next few years. Our projections are based on birth rates, demographic data and trend analysis. The projections are also informed by the increasing number of Independent School Places which are often at a higher cost and out of county. For pupils you need a special school place we aim to offer suitable in-county maintained or academy special school place provision wherever possible.
Our projections tell us we need to create the following number of places every year 2024/25 - 2027/28:
- 100 special school places
- 40 primary resource base places
- 40 secondary resource base places
The priorities for development
We need to respond to the growing need for places for children and young people with Autism and/or Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.
We need to ensure there is good geographical coverage of provision, across north, south, east and west Wiltshire. We are looking to create more places in and around Salisbury, as well as the Tidworth/ Durrington area and Trowbridge/Westbury.
What is the process for creating new High Needs SEN provision and how can I find out more about current projects?
Creating new High Needs SEN provision, for example creating a new resource base, is a 'significant change' and the statutory guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) applies.
GOV.UK: Guidance Academies - making significant changes or closure by agreement (opens new window) (Making significant changes to an academy)
GOV.UK: Statutory guidance School organisation: local-authority-maintained schools (opens new window) (Making significant changes ('prescribed alterations') to maintained schools)
Information about current projects to create new SEN provision can be found on the Local Offer: SEN Place Projects.
How new school places are created
Wiltshire Council only work with partner schools who want to create new or expand existing High Needs places. To be eligible, we ensure the school is rated 'Good' or 'Outstanding' by OFSTED. Partner schools also need to demonstrate they offer inclusive practices and will be able to meet the needs of our learners.
Sometimes Wiltshire Council approach potential schools if the school is in the preferred location; at other times schools approach us. If we agree in principle to create new High Needs classes, we work with the school to create classrooms in the preferred location. New build and refurbishment plans are developed with schools and architects, based on BB104 (a DfE design guide). School leaders input into the design of interior space and exterior space. Often, we look at other special schools and resource bases to share best practice (and avoid the mistakes of others!). A key consideration is whether we develop new classrooms within existing accommodation (always our preference if there is space); create mobile classrooms (a good choice for speed and cost efficiency, plus children love them!) or modular and new builds (sometimes expensive and longer time to develop).
Travel and transport considerations
We prefer to create school places in areas of high demand, to reduce the need for home to school transportation. Where planning permission is needed, the school develops a travel plan for optimal travel for pupils and staff. When we develop new school places, we liaise with our Passenger Transport Unit so new routes to and from school can be scheduled using a logistics travel planner.
Children and young people with a special school or resource base place may be eligible for funded transportation.
Sustainability, heritage and ecology considerations
Sustainability, heritage and ecology considerations are factored into the Feasibility, Design and Build programme. For new buildings, we strive for sustainable designs, including BREAAM excellent buildings and carbon-reduced buildings. We comply with essential ecology studies (such as bat, badger and great crested newt monitoring), as well as meeting heritage considerations on older buildings. Ultimately, we need to meet all planning conditions, as well as building control and OFSTED registration standards for school buildings.