The Lighthouse, a specialist unit for up to 14 children with Education, Health and Care Plans, is opening at The Downs Church of England Primary School in Deal after the former Blossoms Children’s Centre building on the same site was converted into teaching and sensory spaces.
Families in Deal with children who have Education, Health and Care Plans — the formal documents, often called EHCPs, that set out what extra support a child needs — are getting specialist school places on their doorstep from this month. Up to 14 pupils. That’s the capacity of The Lighthouse, the new unit sitting within The Downs Church of England Primary School, and for many local families it means an end to long trips across Kent just to get their child into the right classroom.
The unit has been carved out of the former Blossoms Children’s Centre, which stands next to the school and is now part of its site. Walls have come down to open up teaching spaces, gates removed to connect the building to the main grounds, and a dedicated sensory room is planned. Fairly straightforward, as conversions go — but the effect for local families is anything but.
Natalie Luxford, Headteacher at The Downs Church of England Primary School, said: “The Downs is a welcoming and inclusive school where we want every child to feel valued, supported and able to thrive. Opening The Lighthouse is an exciting step for us, as it means we can support more children and families from our local community and give them the opportunity to learn and grow alongside their peers. We believe that learning should be full of joyful experiences that allows each child to flourish, and we’re delighted to be opening this new provision.”
Beverley Fordham, Kent County Council Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, visited the site last week to see the work being done to transform the building. Speaking after the visit, she said: “Every child deserves access to the right support, in the right place, at the right time. This new Specialist Resource Provision at The Downs Primary School will create more opportunities for children with SEND to learn closer to home and as part of their local community. The transformation of the former Blossoms Children’s Centre demonstrates how we can make the best use of existing buildings to create high-quality specialist education spaces, without the need for children to make lengthy journeys to special schools for the same support. This is just one of a number of projects across Kent that are increasing specialist provision and helping more children and young people access the education and support they need to thrive.”
The Lighthouse is one of several projects across Kent aimed at cutting the distances children with SEND — Special Educational Needs and Disabilities — have to travel to get specialist support. No county-wide total for new places has been confirmed.
The council’s SEND expansion programme continues, with the next projects yet to be publicly confirmed.
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