It was a pleasure to visit Queensmead House School with Laura Trott and see first-hand the incredible work being done to support children with some of the most complex additional needs.
The dedication of the staff and the progress being made by pupils is a reminder that specialist education has a vital role to play. For many children with SEND, mainstream education simply cannot provide the support they need to thrive.
That is why it was so disappointing to see this Labour Government cancel plans for so many new special schools last year. Families deserve real choice and confidence that every child will be able to access the education that is right for them. This had a disasterous impact locally too, with the long-awaited West Windsor special school canned by the Liberal Democrats taking a governemnt bung. Families across our area deserve better than broken promises when demand for SEND places continues to grow.
As our communities expand, investment in specialist education must keep pace. Children with additional needs deserve access to the right support, in the right setting, close to home.
A huge thank you to everyone at Queensmead House School for taking the time to show us around and for everything you do to support young people and their families.
