Barnsley: New centre to help children with educational needs

The former family centre will turn into a new hub for children with special educational needs

A former family centre is to be demolished to make way for a unit providing places for 15 children with special educational needs.

Stairfoot Primary Centre, in Barnsley, will be built on the site of the former family centre in Hunningley Lane.

The facility, due to open in September, will cost £450,000 and will be paid for out of a £4.7m government grant.

Barnsley Council said it would mean the pupils' needs could be met "closer to their home".

Carly Speechley, the authority's executive director of children's services, said: "Through investing in local mainstream and specialist provision and in maintaining an arrangement with a local provider, the new facility will enable the educational needs of this group of young children to be met closer to their home and families, making more effective use of available resources while helping secure better outcomes for pupils with SEND."Based on current need and consultations for school places, the development of these places will also ensure that these children and young people are not placed in high-cost special school settings, including out of the borough."Parents and carers of the pupils who have been identified as the first cohort to access the Hunningley Specialist Provision will be contacted in due course.

Stairfoot Family Centre was closed following the Covid pandemic.