A proposal to increase early education and childcare provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families is set to be presented to Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet on December 13th.
The blueprint outlines a £600,000 investment into a disused nursery located at the Everleigh Centre on Everleigh Road, Penhill, to create additional provision for children with SEND.
Currently, the Saltway Centre in Middleleaze is the sole facility in Swindon offering specialist early years SEND provision under the Council’s management. The proposed site in Penhill aims to enhance accessibility for a significant number of families seeking support for their children.
A review of early years provision for children with SEND revealed a deficiency in inclusive offerings in Swindon. Approximately half the number of children with SEND access their full early years entitlement of 15 hours of childcare, compared to their peers without additional needs.
The selected Penhill nursery, vacant for four years, was originally built as an early years’ education provision and served as a children’s centre. Situated in an area marked by high deprivation and the highest percentage of children with SEND in the Borough, the location aligns with the initiative’s goal to address accessibility challenges.
Operating during school term-time, the nursery will host specific SEND stay-and-play sessions for children and their families, boasting a spacious outdoor area conducive to physical development.
Plans also include an out-of-school provision and a holiday club for children with SEND as part of the Holiday, Activities, and Food (HAF) programme during the nursery’s closure periods. Additionally, the Council intends to host part of its portage service, a home visiting service for parents and children with complex needs, at the centre.
Pending approval by councillors, the new centre is anticipated to open its doors in September of the following year.
These proposals align with all three of the Council’s missions: to Reduce Inequality, Build a Better Swindon, and Achieve Net Zero.
Councillor Adorabelle Amaral-Shaikh, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, said: “I am really pleased to be able to bring this proposal to Cabinet as we know that children with SEND are far less likely to access their full entitlement of early years provision compared to their peers.
“By creating this additional provision in Penhill, we will ensure that more children with SEND are able to access more of their early years’ entitlement through either inclusion outreach or through specialist early years places.
“It will also make it even easier for families who may struggle to get to our only current centre at Saltway in West Swindon.
“If we can provide support at the very start of a child’s educational journey, we will be able to give parents the support they need to navigate complex and unfamiliar SEND processes, while also helping to improve educational attainment and outcomes for children.”
