URL: https://westsussex.moderngov.co.uk/ieDecisionDetails.aspx?ID=2272

Decision Maker: Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Learning (Cllr Jacquie Russell)

Outcome:

Is Key Decision?: Yes

Is Callable In?: Yes

Purpose: St Anthony’s is a special school in Chichester offering Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision for children and young people with moderate learning difficulties aged between 4 and 16. There is a need to increase the number of places at the school to meet rising demand. A feasibility study and initial design work has been undertaken to expand St Anthony’s into school buildings situated on the same site as the special school that are currently occupied by Jessie Younghusband Primary School. St Anthony’s expansion into these school buildings would create up to 50 additional specialist school places, increasing St Anthony’s planned place numbers from 248 to 298.   In December 2023 approval was given to launch an initial public consultation , in accordance with Department for Education (DfE) guidance, to seek views on the proposal to relocate Jessie Younghusband from its current location to a new school being built nearby.  As part of that consultation views were also sought on the proposal to expand St Anthony’s into the Jessie Younghusband Primary School site once vacated. Responses demonstrated a broad range of views to the proposal as set out in section 4 of this report.   A subsequent decision by the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Learning approved the relocation of Jessie Younghusband, with the school due to open at the new site in September 2025.   The DfE guidance sets out the stages of the process that should be undertaken when considering expanding a special school.  Having completed the first stage, the initial consultation, the Cabinet Member is now asked to consider approving the progression of the proposal to the next stage of the process – publication of statutory notices.   Remodelling works would be required to the Jessie Younghusband Primary School site to create facilities that meet the requirements of children attending St Anthony’s school.  Therefore, approval is also sought for allocating the capital funding required to finalise the design and enable delivery of the expansion of St Anthony’s school, should it be determined this proposal should proceed.

Content: St Anthony’s is a special school in Chichester offering Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision for children and young people with moderate learning difficulties aged between 4 and 16. There is a need to increase the number of places at the school to meet rising demand. A feasibility study and initial design work has been undertaken to expand St Anthony’s into school buildings situated on the same site as the special school that are currently occupied by Jessie Younghusband Primary School. St Anthony’s expansion into these school buildings would create up to 50 additional specialist school places, increasing St Anthony’s planned place numbers from 248 to 298.   In December 2023 approval was given to launch an initial public consultation , in accordance with Department for Education (DfE) guidance, to seek views on the proposal to relocate Jessie Younghusband from its current location to a new school being built nearby.  As part of that consultation views were also sought on the proposal to expand St Anthony’s into the Jessie Younghusband Primary School site once vacated. Responses demonstrated a broad range of views to the proposal as set out in section 4 of this report.   A subsequent decision by the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Learning approved the relocation of Jessie Younghusband, with the school due to open at the new site in September 2025.   The DfE guidance sets out the stages of the process that should be undertaken when considering expanding a special school.  Having completed the first stage, the initial consultation, the Cabinet Member is now asked to consider approving the progression of the proposal to the next stage of the process – publication of statutory notices.   Remodelling works would be required to the Jessie Younghusband Primary School site to create facilities that meet the requirements of children attending St Anthony’s school.  Therefore, approval is also sought for allocating the capital funding required to finalise the design and enable delivery of the expansion of St Anthony’s school, should it be determined this proposal should proceed. The Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Learning has approved:   (1) The publication of statutory proposals to expand St Anthony’s School by 50 additional specialist school places, increasing St Anthony’s planned place numbers from 248 to 298; (2) The allocation of £4.138m from SEND capital monies to develop the design and fund delivery of the project at St Anthony’s School to expand the planned places by 50 through expansion into the former Jessie Younghusband site and to carry out associated works as set out in paragraph 2.4 of this report, should it be determined that this should proceed to implementation following conclusion of the statutory proposal period;  (3) The delegation of authority to the Assistant Director (Education and Skills) to determine whether the proposal to expand St Anthony’s by 50 places should proceed, following consideration of any representations received during the statutory consultation stage, and (4) Should the proposed expansion proceed, the delegation of authority to the Assistant Director (Property and Assets) to approve completion of the final design work, commence a procurement process and award the contract to undertake the expansion project at St Anthony’s school, including obtaining any statutory consents and in accordance with the scope and financial parameters set out in this report. None declared.

Date of Decision: September 26, 2025