Since September 2022, Bluebell Park School in Kirkby has provided additional school places for children with specific and complex learning disabilities for pupils aged 4 years and above from a new satellite provision within Eastcroft Park School, also in Kirkby.
Bluebell Park School is a specialist provision for children and young people from Early Years through to Post 16 education with specific and complex learning needs. This new satellite provision provides additional capacity, offering 16 additional school places in the borough.
Funding was secured from the Special Educational Needs and / or Disabilities (SEND) Capital Grant to carry out some adaptations at Eastcroft Park School in order to provide the special school provision for Bluebell Park to utilise. This has included significant internal reconfiguration works, decoration and equipment to make the space suitable for education, including sensory equipment, changing facilities, a kitchen area and external redesign for outdoor learning.
Cllr Margaret Harvey, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said:
“I was delighted to visit Eastcroft Park Primary School to see the additional provision provided by Bluebell Park at the site as well as meeting the pupils who are benefitting from this new learning environment. They have all settled well into their new school and it was a delight to see them so happy.
“With demand for special education provision high, it was essential that we could meet this demand locally and ensure our pupils did not have to attend a school outside of the borough.
“The partnership work displayed between the Council, Bluebell Park and Eastcroft Park School has been truly outstanding and together, we have created additional capacity to meet the needs of our children and young people.”