Issue details

The Council encourages the inclusion, where appropriate, of all pupils with disabilities in mainstream schools. To assist in enabling this it is proposed that a Schools Access Initiative budget is established to fund adaptations and improvements to school buildings to ensure their accessibility to pupils where reasonably practicable. This will improve the educational and social outcomes for children and their families and reduce the requirement for more costly specialist Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision. Works funded by the new budget could include installing hygiene facilities, ramps and making acoustic improvements.

In December 2017 the Council approved an allocation of £30.2m for Schools Basic Need projects in 2018/19. The Cabinet Member for Education and Skills will be asked to approve the reallocation of £500,000 of the approved sum for Basic Need Funding to create a Schools Access Initiative budget.