Plans to establish a base for post-16 pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in St Helens have moved a step closer.
St Helens Council has been working on plans to establish a Key Stage 5 base at Mill Green Special School in Parr.
Mill Green, which has been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted in its last three inspections, provides 14-19 provision for pupils with SEND.
The plans are to utilise the former Rising Stars Neighbourhood Nursery building so the school can expand its current offer.
Earlier this year a decision was taken through delegated powers to include a scheme in the council’s capital programme to facilitate this work.
A new delegated decision has been taken to award a contract to remodel the former nursery.
The plans were sparked following a joint Ofsted and Care Quality Commission (CQC) SEND inspection carried out in St Helens in February 2018.
Concerns were raised during the inspection that the local authority was not doing enough to prepare pupils with SEND for working life.
The current scheme has been designed by council officers in conjunction with Mill Green.
A spokesman for St Helens Council said a start date for the new post-16 SEND base has not yet been confirmed.
