Changes planned to relieve growing pressures on schools in capital

The proposals for 15 schools are in direct response to increasing numbers of children requiring specialist placements, Cardiff council says

- ABBIE WIGHTWICK

MAJOR plans to expand specialist education provision for pupils with additional learning needs (ALN) in Cardiff schools have been revealed.

The programme to provide an extra 462 specialist places in schools and special schools comes as headteachers have warned of the huge rise in numbers of children with additional needs.

Cardiff council said its proposals for hundreds more specialist places in 15 schools will "urgently address rising demand".

Earlier this week, headteachers detailed how schools are running into deficit and leaders doing multiple jobs because they cannot afford the necessary staff, including teaching assistants, to support ALN children.

The plans include 276 additional places in special schools and 186 in other schools' specialist resource bases (SRBs), to be delivered through a combination of refurbishment and new-build projects.

The council said: "This expansion is a direct response to increasing numbers of children requiring specialist placements, driven by factors such as improved survival rates for children with significant disabilities, increased identification of specific needs, and a higher incidence of emotional health and wellbeing challenges among young people."

The proposals include expansion and new specialist resource bases to provide emotional health and well-being, autism and complex learning needs provision.

Headteachers from the length and breadth of Wales warned this week they face a "funding crisis" caused not just by years of cuts in real terms and soaring costs but also by what they say is a huge rise in children with additional learning needs.