Dorset Council approves urgent funding for more SEND places in Dorchester
Almost 60 special education places will be created at Dorchester Learning Centre come the next term
Dorset Council has given the green light for extra funding to expand the Dorchester Learning Centre, creating 59 new special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) places.
The decision, taken at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, will allow work to continue over the summer holidays at the centre’s Winterbourne Monkton site, just south of Dorchester.
Councillors were told the extra spending - the precise amount of which remains undisclosed - was necessary to ensure the project could be completed while pupils are off-site.
Portfolio holder for education and children’s services, Cllr Clare Sutton, acknowledged that the urgent request had "slipped between the cracks".
She warned that without swift approval, the work would be delayed for a year, likely at increased cost.
Cllr Sutton also highlighted the long-term savings the additional places would generate.
With external SEND placements costing up to £74,000 per pupil annually, Cllr Sutton said providing local provision would significantly reduce outgoings and ease pressure on transport budgets, benefiting families and the wider community.
Tory group leader Cllr Andrew Parry welcomed the expansion but criticised the late notice: “It seems like someone has dropped the ball in scheduling this.”
Planning applications for the Dorchester Learning Centre in recent months have included proposals for a specialist inclusion hub and internal adaptations to maximise space.
The expansion forms part of Dorset Council’s broader strategy to meet growing local demand for SEND education.