Position Statement: Chipping Sodbury Access Centre
Access Centre Update - October 2023
Despite being in the new academic year, we know that questions and concerns surrounding the Access Centre at Chipping Sodbury School remain, regarding the future of this resource and the support that will be provided to families, children and young people with SEND.
From a communication received from Chipping Sodbury school, we are aware that the planned changes moving into the academic year 2023-2024 was for the Access Centre to be renamed an ‘Inclusion Centre’ and a change in the provision of classes within the Inclusion Centre.
While it has been made clear that the Access Centre as it was will no longer be a viable option for Chipping Sodbury School moving forward, we have yet to be informed fully of what support has been, and will be in place for families and children and young people with SEND in this academic year.
We will continue to question the future of the Access Centre and the provisions that are being put in place and we hope that a suitable agreement is reached between all parties to ensure that this valuable resource remains open and suitable for children and young people with SEND.
We understand some families may have questions about their child and you can contact the Local Authority directly by emailing: isendsupport@southglos.gov.uk
If you would prefer to email our SGPC forum you can do so at: Parent.Voice@sglospc.org.uk
Families have been raising their concerns about the future of Chipping Sodbury Access Centre, which we posted about during the half-term holiday (See below dated 15/2/2023)
This important topic was raised at the recent South Glos Council Cabinet meeting.
Here is the link to the recorded session.
Council - Wednesday 15 February 2023, 7:00pm - South Gloucestershire Council Webcasting
There has also been lots of media coverage including the Bristol Post.
Here is the link;
Closing South Gloucestershire school's SEND centre would be a 'disaster' say families - Bristol Live (bristolpost.co.uk)
We are aware of some inaccurate comments regarding SGPC involvement with the Banding and funding model, and we would like to again draw your attention to our statement explaining our limited involvement.
Top Up Funding EHCP's — South Glos Parent Carers (sgpc.org.uk)
We understand some families may have questions about their child and you can contact the Local Authority directly by emailing isendsupport@southglos.gov.uk
If you would prefer to email the forum you can do so at Parent.Voice@sglospc.org.uk
15/2/2023
We have been hearing from Parents that they have concerns over the future of the Access Centre at Chipping Sodbury.
Thank you to those parents who brought this to our attention. We understand how unsettling this is.
We have already raised this issue at several meetings and have emphasised how concerned and upset families are about this. We raised various points about current and future placements, and that those placements must have appropriate access to the national curriculum. They are very aware of the concerns we all have.
Yesterday we had a meeting with the Local Authority to highlight these concerns again. We asked why the Access Centre is being closed, we were told that although the Trust that governs Chipping Sodbury School has served notice to close, the Local Authority does not want the access centre to close.
We understand a meeting is being set up which includes some of the families from the Access centre and the leader of the council and there will be further meetings and discussions ongoing. We hope that a suitable agreement is made between all parties to ensure the centre remains open, and is sustainable, which we all agree is the ideal solution.
We have asked to be kept informed about the outcome of any further discussions.
We understand some families may have questions about their child and you can contact the Local Authority directly by emailing isendsupport@southglos.gov.uk
If you would prefer to email the forum you can do so at Parent.Voice@sglospc.org.uk although please note that the team is on leave as this week is a school holiday.