Proposals for Juniper Hill School, Flackwell Heath

Over the last 5 years in Buckinghamshire, there has been a:

• 50% (1,805 pupils) increase in the number of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
• 64% (1,424 pupils) increase in children and young people with communication and interaction needs and SEMH needs – this is the most increasing need

Over the next 5 years in Buckinghamshire, we are expecting a further:

• 32% increase in the number of pupils with an EHCP
• 42% increase in the number of children and young people with communication and interaction needs and SEMH needs

Our SEND Education Sufficiency Strategy (PDF 2.30MB) identified the need for a, 12 place primary age inclusion unit for children with SEMH needs at a school to serve the Wycombe area – which has one of the highest level of need.

We are proposing a SEMH Unit at Juniper Hill School to help meet this increasing need.

A key aim of the Unit is to allow pupils to access a mainstream curriculum, whilst accessing specific specialist support. Pupils attending the Unit would:

• spend most of their time based within the Unit (self-contained with its own outside play area)
• be able to join in with parts of the school day, where appropriate

Specialist teachers would be employed to manage the new Unit:

• staffed by two teachers and learning support assistants
• additional professionals to support pupils – including a speech and language therapist, occupational therapist and play therapist
• further professionals would be employed depending on the needs of the children
• all staff in the Unit would be trained to support pupils who have experienced trauma and have insecure attachments

All staff at Juniper Hill School would be trained to support children with SEMH needs – providing benefits to all children at the school.

The Unit would be a new building within the school grounds. We are proposing to build the Unit on the former swimming pool area which is currently an unused part of the school.

Additional staff parking would also be provided.

We would cover the building costs using government funding for providing / expanding SEND provision across the county. Juniper Hill School would receive additional revenue grant funding to run the Unit.

Over the last 5 years, the need for physical disability Additional Resource Provision across Buckinghamshire has decreased.

Children with a physical disability are increasingly able to attend their local mainstream school due to:

• new schools and adaptations to existing schools
• schools being increasingly able to support pupils with a wide range of SEND needs

The Juniper Hill ARP originally had places for 12 pupils with a physical disability – due to decreasing need, the number of places was reduced to 7.

There are currently 4 pupils attending the Juniper Hill ARP – there will be 2 pupils in September 2023.

Pupils in the ARP currently spend most of their time in mainstream classes. They only attend the ARP facilities for individual support.

We have reviewed the demand for places at Juniper Hill School as part of our on-going work to make sure we can support children with a range of SEND needs.

We are proposing that a physical disability ARP is no longer required at Juniper Hill School.

Pupils currently in the Juniper Hill School ARP would continue to receive the same level of support throughout their time at the school.

With School Leaders, we would work closely with parents of children and young people in the ARP to make sure the proposed closure had no negative impacts on pupils.

Juniper Hill School would continue to offer places to children in the catchment area that have physical disability needs.

If the proposal to open a SEMH Unit is agreed, building works would start in January 2024.

The new Unit would then open in September 2024. Pupil numbers would be gradually increased each year – until reaching the total capacity of 12.

If the proposal to close the Physical Disability ARP is agreed, this would take effect from September 2024.