We're excited to share with you that Sefton Park Schools have been working with Bristol City Council to plan a new Specialist Resource Base (SRB). In 2020, the City Council asked schools to declare an interest in whether to host a resource unit to increase overall SEND capacity across the city. Sefton Park indicated an interest in April 2022 with the view of using the upstairs of Ashley House as a potential base. Bristol City Council visited in May 2022 and confirmed that the space available has the requirements to be converted to an appropriate standard.

The proposal is to create a Specialist Resource Unit within Sefton Park Infant and Junior school to provide education for 12 children with Autism with Speech and Language as a primary area of need. The children who can access the SRB will have to have an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP). The upstairs of Ashley House (Pine Class) would provide 2 classrooms along with other specialist learning spaces. The Nursery provision would remain unchanged and unaffected as would the after school provision and wrap around care. 

This is a great opportunity for Sefton Park. Firstly, it will allow 12 children to experience our excellent provision, supporting our community and those in need of education close to their home. The SRB would not only benefit new pupils, but our current pupils would have access to more learning spaces, staff will benefit from specialist training and our provision will become more personalised. 

At Sefton Park, we've always been proud of the way we interact with and serve our community. There is a need in our area that this provision will help us tend to. Now feels like the ideal time to build on the work we've done thus far and take the next step to serve our community in a more holistic way. 

We would only propose this expansion if we were sure that it wouldn't adversely affect the current setup at Sefton Park and our current pupils' education offer.