Darlington's Beaumont Hill Academy to expand with new sixth form centre amid rising SEND demand
by Bill Edgar · ChronicleLiveA purpose-built sixth form centre is on the cards for a Darlington school to help manage increasing demand. Beaumont Hill Academy is expected to formally submit plans for the new facility soon, following a public consultation.
Earlier this year, Darlington Borough Council cabinet members agreed to invest £360,000 of High Needs Capital Funding to refurbish the former Haughton Children’s Centre as a sixth form centre for Beaumont Hill. The new site will free up 30 additional "much-needed" secondary SEND places, following the refurbishment of the vacant space in the main school.
Currently, the school has 269 pre-16 places. Council officials have highlighted "significant pressures" on the school’s capacity and believe that relocating to the new site would help respond to the growing demand for places.
Several benefits of the scheme have also been outlined, including creating capacity within Beaumont Hill Academy, ensuring Darlington continues to respond to the changing needs and requirements of young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, increasing opportunities for these young people to continue their educational journey in Darlington, and supporting the further diversification of the education offer for them.
"The sixth form centre will provide learners with a suite of light, bright learning environments, including a mix of open teaching spaces, classrooms and areas to practice cooking and life skills alongside an outdoor horticultural area," the council said.
A statement added: "There may be other young people who have attended different special schools, and the new Beaumont Hill Academy sixth form centre presents an opportunity for their educational journey to progress in their home locality."
A public consultation on the potential changes closed on Monday. Further information will be revealed in due course.
Darlington Council said: "All consultation responses will be collated, and due planning processes concluded. Following this, a Significant Change application is submitted by EVAT to the Department for Education (DfE). This is required by the DFE through their expansion onto a satellite site criteria. DfE will then make a determination if the requested changes can take place."
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