Prime Highlights:
- Hampshire County Council has approved two new projects at Harrow Way Community School and Bramley CE Primary School to provide better support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
- The projects include specialist classrooms, life skills and calming rooms, and outdoor learning spaces, helping children access tailored support closer to home.
Key Facts:
- The Harrow Way Resourced Provision will create up to 15 specialist places for pupils with autism, with a £1.09 million investment, opening in stages from September 2026.
- Bramley CE Primary School will receive a £1.35 million extension, including flexible learning spaces and dedicated outdoor areas, scheduled to finish by autumn 2026.
Background:
Hampshire County Council has approved investment in two new projects to expand support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Andover and Bramley. The decision, made by Councillor Steve Forster, Executive Member for Education, will help children access specialist support closer to home.
The larger of the two projects is at Harrow Way Community School, where a new Resourced Provision (RP) will create up to 15 specialist places for pupils with autism. The Resourced Provision will open in stages from September 2026 and provide a supportive learning space within the school. The £1.09 million project will add two refurbished classrooms, a life skills room, and two calming rooms for children with additional needs.
A double modular building will also be added to provide teaching space for mainstream pupils. Internal adaptations are expected to be complete by summer 2026, with the modular building ready by the end of the summer term. Funding comes from the High Needs Provision Capital Allocation and the Basic Need Grant.
At Bramley CE Primary School, a £1.35 million improvement scheme will enhance the school’s ability to support children with SEND. The project includes a new single-storey extension, dedicated outdoor space, and flexible accommodation to improve inclusion and enrich teaching and learning. Work is scheduled to begin in summer 2026 and finish by autumn.
Councillor Forster said: “Creating additional specialist places and facilities brings welcome news for local families. Rising demand for SEND support continues to put pressure on councils, but these projects are part of our ongoing commitment to high-quality inclusive education.”
Hampshire currently maintains more than 20,500 Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), with around 40% requiring specialist provision. The County Council works with local partners through the Local Area SEND partnership, which has reduced waiting times and developed high-quality training for professionals. Hampshire is also part of f40, a national group campaigning for fairer SEND funding.
The new projects support the Council’s wider aim of creating 1,000 new specialist places by 2030, helping ensure children with SEND receive the support they need to thrive academically and socially.
