‘Outstanding’ special school to open new early years centre

Wokingham Borough Council have partnered with Addington Special School to open a new early years centre to provide care and education to children from nursery to year one with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

Addington Early Years Centre will open at the former Farley Hill Primary School site and act as a satellite to the main Addington Special School in Woodley.

The new early years centre will offer places to 40 children and will open in the Autumn term, with an initial intake of 16 children, gradually building to full capacity.

New settings for children with SEND

Addington Early Years Centre is one of several new settings for children with SEND set to open over the coming months and years, after the council carried out a full review of its SEND services following a significant increase in children and young people needing additional support.

Also set to open this Autumn is Oak Tree Special School in Winnersh, which will offer spaces to 150 pupils between Year One and Year 13, starting with 50 in September, who have Autistic Spectrum Conditions from Wokingham Borough and Reading Borough.

Further down the line, the council has secured funding from the Department for Education for two new special schools,  a redesign of existing settings attached to mainstream schools and two new post-16 centres. 

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A life changing school

Addington Special School has a long history of providing great quality care and education to children and young people with SEND, having been awarded ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted since 2008.

Their most recent inspection in March this year noted that the school is life-changing, with an outstanding quality of education, high ambitions for pupils, strong leadership and pupils having access to personalised curriculums that include academic subjects, life skills such as reading clothes labels and washing clothes, horticulture, bike repair and hospitality.

A bespoke environment

Sara Attra, headteacher at Addington Special School, said: "We are very excited about our new early years centre in Farley Hill that will accommodate our youngest pupils from nursery to year one.

“We have worked with architects to ensure the new facilities are bespoke to our pupils' special needs and allow a rich and varied curriculum to be taught.

"The new centre will have a dedicated sensory room, sand and splash facilities and a dedicated area for much needed sensory circuits to support each pupils' emotional regulation, in addition to new spacious classrooms.

“We are looking forward to welcoming new families to our centre as soon as the building is finished, and for pupils to enjoy all it has to offer." 

More options now and in the future

Councillor Prue Bray, deputy council leader and executive member for children’s services, said: “We are delighted to be working with Addington Special School to open a new early years centre for our youngest borough residents.

“The school has a long track record of providing exceptional education and care to children and young people with SEND and we are grateful that even more children will benefit now, and in the future.”