A new specialist education unit designed to support children with autism has been hailed as a major step towards keeping more young people in mainstream education closer to home.
King Edward VI Community College (KEVICC), part of Education South West, welcomed local MP Caroline Voaden for a tour of the school’s new special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision, which is currently under development.
The new unit has been created to support children and young people with autism through a structured and nurturing environment with personalised support.
School leaders said the provision would operate as a small specialist space with high levels of adult support, while still allowing pupils access to the wider school community.
Leadership of the unit will sit within KEVICC’s existing structure, with additional support from the Special Partnership Trust on curriculum development and staff training.
Places within the unit will be allocated through Devon County Council’s SEN Statutory Team. Pupils will need an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) before being considered for a placement.
The school said places in the unit would be additional to existing admissions numbers and would not affect mainstream places at the school.
Caroline Voaden MP said: “I really enjoyed my visit to KEVICC recently to see the progress they are making on a new unit for children with SEND.
“KEVICC’s approach is genuinely exciting, ensuring needs are met locally, without children having to travel far away for support or public funds being used on private providers.
“Given the government’s renewed push for inclusion, requiring more SEND children to be educated in mainstream settings, I expect more schools to explore similar options and follow KEVICC’s lead.”
Matthew Shanks, chief executive of Education South West, said the project had taken more than two years to develop.
Matthew said: “Welcoming Caroline Voaden to KEVICC was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the progress we’ve made in developing this important provision.
“This has been the result of over two years of dedicated work, bringing together expertise from across our schools and partners to create something that will make a real difference for young people and their families.
“At Education South West, we are committed not only to delivering high-quality SEND provision in our own communities, but also to working collaboratively with other trusts to support the development of similar models in their local areas.
“This new unit at KEVICC is a strong example of that vision in action, creating an inclusive, nurturing environment where students with additional needs can thrive and achieve their full potential.”
Education South West is made up of nine primary schools, four secondary schools, one all-through school and a university technical college across Devon.
