Maidenhead & Windsor

The Maidenhead Royal Borough's proposal to build a state-of-the-art school for children with disabilities goes out for widespread consultation this week – and everyone with an interest in the project is invited to have their say.

The council is proposing to use government funding to provide a brand new special school – to replace the old and outdated Holyport Manor – on the same education campus as Cox Green Secondary, Maidenhead and Lowbrook Primary schools.

The Maidenhead special school would have its own access off Cannon Lane, yet be part of an existing education community, not only benefiting pupils with special educational needs but also bringing additional value for young people attending mainstream schools.

The consultation document is going out from Wednesday (December 6) to parents, staff and governors of all the schools concerned, parish councils, local residents and community groups, partner organisations such as the primary care trust, voluntary organisations such as Mencap and to neighbouring local authorities that use Holyport Manor.

To ensure everyone with an interest in the proposal has access to the fullest information, the council is holding two drop-in sessions:

* Cox Green School – Wednesday January 17 (4 – 7.30pm)
* Holyport Manor Special School – Thursday January 18 (1.30 – 7.30pm).

Further information is also available on 01628 796572.

Cllr Cynthia Pitteway, lead member for Maidenhead education, and Cllr Kathy Newbound, lead member for children's and young people's services, are encouraging as many people as possible to use the sessions to help them take a full and informed part in the consultation.

Cllr Pitteway said: "This is one of the most exciting educational opportunities in the Royal Borough for many years. The government funding offers the chance to give young people with learning disabilities the facilities they deserve to help them achieve their very best. However, we can't take this forward unless we have the views of everyone concerned and this consultation is a genuine attempt to give people easy ways of getting their comments across."

Maidenhead Cllr Newbound said: "We owe it to all our children to give them the best possible chances to achieve. The council has been trying for many years to find ways of replacing Holyport Manor with modern teaching and residential accommodation and at last we have a way forward that has strong potential to attract the government funding we need."

The opportunity has arisen through the government's Building Schools for the Future: One School Pathfinder initiative and the council's submission is now being assessed by the Department for Education and Skills.

The new, fully-accessible school would: be of similar size to Holyport Manor; allow more children to be educated closer to home than is currently the case; include a residential unit as now, and offer respite provision for children whose parents need help with their care.

Anyone who wishes to take part in the consultation may do so by:

* Using the consultation form or writing to Holyport Manor Special School consultation, Freepost RLYH-SHYR-JUXJ, Town Hall St Ives Road, Maidengead SL6 1RF or
* Emailing holyportmanorconsultation@rbwm.gov.uk

Closing date for responses is Monday January 29 2007.

Consultation process

Following the public consultation a further report will be taken to cabinet and, if approved, the Maidenhead new school proposal would be published as a formal statutory notice, allowing two months for comments and objections. If there were no objections cabinet could take the decision to proceed but if there were objections the matter would, under current legislation, be decided by the local independent school organisation committee (SOC), which must give unanimous support . If the SOC could not agree, the final decision would be taken by the government's schools adjudicator.

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead