Schools caring for pupils in West Dunbartonshire with additional support needs will be expanded to meet rising demand.
Councillors backed plans to increase the secondary provision in the local area – as education chiefs said an extra nine classes for severe and complex learners were required.
The majority of the pupils attending will come from the new additional support needs (ASN) bases in St Joseph’s, St Kessog’s and Renton primary schools.
Kilpatrick School will be expanded, while the empty Riverside Early Learning Centre at St Martin’s Primary would also be used to support 36 young people.
An unused part of the Choices facility in Jamestown will also be utilised for pupils who cannot engage in mainstream settings due to challenging social and emotional issues.
Senior education officer Julie McGrogan provided an update to councillors at an education committee meeting last week.
She said: “West Dunbartonshire is is line with national trends in terms of recognising increased additional support needs across our children and young people.
“We previously addressed that with the expansion of our primary ASN settings but what we recognise now is these children are coming up and in order to give them the best possible start in West Dunbartonshire we need to look to extend our secondary provision.
“By 2027 we will need space for an additional 57 young people in our secondary estate.
“We propose to expand Kilpatrick School in phase one, to reuse the vacant Riverside early learning and childcare centre and to expand our Choices school in Jamestown.
“This should enable us to meet the needs of our severe complex learners in West Dunbartonshire using our staff and making the best use of our resources.”
She added that there would be “significant savings” for the council by using its own staff and resources, rather than paying partner providers. The expansion could result in the creation of 29 additional teaching and support posts. Councillors unanimously welcomed the idea, with chair, SNP councillor Karen Conaghan, commenting: “One of the key benefits is not sending our children and young people outwith West Dunbartonshire for provision elsewhere.
“They are better to be within their own communities and for us to make best use of the buildings and learning establishments that we do have.
“There will be a bit comfort in the fact that we are going to go over to Riverside and secure something extra within the village which was a desire of the community.
“This is for those pupils who do face extra challenges whether it’s neuro diversity or other challenges. It’s good that we’re forward thinking about meeting their needs and meeting them in a meaningful way.”
Councillor Sally Page asked why there was an increase in the numbers of children with additional support needs.
Ms McGrogan replied: “There’s a range of reasons. We’re better at identifying and supporting needs and that demonstrates the quality of our staff and professional learning that’s had and it also recognises the advances in medical science, supporting young people who previously who might not have survived childhood illnesses or early births.”
“We are in line with national trends.”
Welcoming the expansion, Labour councillor Martin Rooney said: “Everything you’re doing to try and make sure we prioritise these children are absolutely on point.
“It’s important we invest in them to give them the best possible educational experiences that we possibly can.”
