“ANTI-SOCIAL and criminal behaviour” at a school set up to support children with additional needs has prompted an emergency change to timetables just weeks before the Christmas break.
Students at La Sente will be placed on an altered timetable from Monday, with periods of learning moved online.
The special educational needs school supports students with social, emotional and mental health needs from Years 3 to 9.
An email to parents, leaked to the JEP, explains that the change is due to “concerns around the young people’s safety whilst attending school”.
“These concerns relate to anti-social and criminal activity which are exposing the young people’s vulnerabilities when together as a group,” it said.
It comes after a damning report into the quality of education provided in government schools for children with special educational needs or disabilities, published just last month, concluded that “the current leadership, organisation, systems, strategies, oversight and accountability arrangements are not sufficiently effective”.
It found “inconsistencies in experiences and outcomes”, “insufficient transparency” over funding, an “absence of coherent and coordinated strategy”, a “lack of clear leadership and management”, and “an enduring sense of turbulence and uncertainty”.
Parents told the JEP they felt “vindicated” and “relieved” by the report’s publication.
Yesterday’s email – which was signed off by sent by interim head of inclusion Liz Searle from the government’s Children, Young People, Education and Skills department – said that officials will “evaluate and develop provision” after this “short intervention”.
She told parents: “It would be helpful if you would be able to discuss and reinforce with your child the need to attend to and make the most of learning opportunities at school which will help make the most of their future opportunities.”
La Sente School was formed in 2019 when the former d’Hautrée House School and Alternative Curriculum merged to create one facility for young people with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.
The JEP has asked CYPES to confirm the nature of the risks described, and the number of students affected.
