Saxon Wood School is set to broaden its support for students with learning difficulties, aiming to improve educational opportunities for all.
Basingstoke: Hampshire County Council is making some changes at Saxon Wood School. They’re expanding support for kids with physical disabilities to include those with severe and moderate learning difficulties.
This move is part of a bigger plan to improve specialist education across four primary schools in the area, including Gosport and Eastleigh.
While they won’t be adding more spots, the school will enhance what they offer without any extra costs. It’s all about making things better for the kids.
The council’s decision comes after listening to the community, aiming to boost support for students with special educational needs and disabilities.
Cllr Steve Forster, who’s in charge of education, mentioned that they want to help all Hampshire kids reach their potential right in their own communities.
He also pointed out that keeping these services in local schools saves money compared to sending kids to independent schools far from home.
It’s great to see these changes moving forward, especially since there were no objections during the public consultations.
Right now, many kids needing special support are sent to independent schools, which can be quite costly. The difference in funding between local schools and independent ones is huge.
If everything goes through, the annual cost for the new places at Saxon Wood and three other schools will be about £411,539, compared to a staggering £1.34 million for the same number of spots in independent schools.
All four schools involved have been rated ‘good’ by Ofsted, so they’re doing well.
These changes are in addition to plans for a new school focused on social, emotional, and mental health in Eastleigh, which will cater to up to 125 kids aged eight to 16, set to open in September 2026.
The county council is also moving forward with plans for 41 more specialist places at three other schools starting in September 2025.
These include Hollywater School in Bordon, Velmead Junior School in Fleet, and Fleet Infant School, all aimed at providing better support for kids who need it.
