We want to hear your views on two proposals for Juniper Hill School:
We are proposing to open a Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) Unit at Juniper Hill School. This would be a 12 place Unit for pupils with SEMH needs – detailed in their Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP).
The 12 places would be in addition to the existing 420 school places.
SEMH needs are special educational needs where a child communicates through behaviour in response to unmet social, emotional or mental health needs.
If agreed, the SEMH Unit would open in September 2024.
Over the last 5 years in Buckinghamshire, there has been a:
Over the next 5 years in Buckinghamshire, we are expecting a further:
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:
Specialist teachers would be employed to manage the new Unit:
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.
We are also proposing to close the Additionally Resourced Provision (ARP) for pupils with a physical disability at Juniper Hill School.
If agreed, this proposal would be effective from September 2024.
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:
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.
Before you respond to this consultation, please have a look at the following document:
We are hosting two events to find out more about the proposals:
You can tell us your views in one of the following ways:
If you have any questions about this consultation, please email us at juniper-hill-school-consultation@buckinghamshire.gov.uk.
Please tell us your views by midnight on Sunday 16 July 2023.
We will consider all responses we receive.
The Leader of Buckinghamshire Council, with the Cabinet Member for Education and Children's Services, will make the final decision on the two proposals. We expect this decision to be made in December 2023.
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.
We will use the information you provide here only for this activity. We will store the information securely in line with data protection laws and will not share or publish any personal details. For more information about data and privacy, please see our Privacy Policy.
If you have questions about data and privacy, please email us on dataprotection@buckinghamshire.gov.uk. Or write to our Data Protection Officer at Buckinghamshire Council, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury, HP19 8FF.
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