Mark Francois MP has warmly welcomed the formal approval to proceed with a new Special Educational Needs (SEN) school at Rayleigh, in his constituency.
. Mark, who launched the campaign for a new SEN school in South Essex in Parliament, last July, presented his idea to a meeting of the Essex County Council Cabinet this morning, who subsequently gave formal approval for the project, in their capacity as the Local Education Authority. The new school, to be built on the new Vistry development at Rawreth, on the Western edge of Rayleigh, will cater for 150 SEN pupils, with another 40 to be accommodated at a sixth form annex at the refurbished and repurposed Chetwood Primary School in South Woodham Ferrers, just a few miles up the road.
The school will cater for pupils from the ages of three to eighteen and will be funded by a combination of section 106 contributions and a special Government grant, for which Mark lobbied Education Ministers, as part of the plan.
Commenting on the news that the project has just been formally approved this morning, by the meeting of the Essex County Council Cabinet, local MP Mark said: “
This is really excellent news. I launched the campaign for a new SEN School only last July and, within a year, we have a site, we have the money- and we now have also have formal approval to proceed. It’s a victory for SEN pupils and their families and I want to thank both Essex County Council and Vistry for backing this vital project so strongly.”
