AN URGENT appeal for financial backing has been launched to expand the specialist educational provisions for children with disabilities at a Droitwich children’s farm.
Gloverspiece School and Care-farm says it needs to raise £500,000 in the next fortnight to secure an additional building to meet the increasing demand for children needing to attend the school.
Provided by Gloverspiece School. s
Trudy Hapley, a specialist teacher at Gloverspiece, previously worked in mainstream schools in the SENCO department and said it did not have the outdoor space to support children with disabilities.
“Here we can only do that for 25 children in terms of schooling but need further space to extend it to more.
“There are loads of children in mainstream schools who need this sort of provision but it is not out there, so please help.”
The school was set up back in 2017 with the backing of Worcestershire County Council due to the urgent need for specialist schools in the area.
But in recent years, the school has developed a long waiting list and wants to support those over the age of 16 who may fall off the support radar after school.
Lynne Duffy, headteacher, said: “We began to get more and more children from mainstream schools being placed with us who were struggling.
“Then one of the officers who deals with SEN at county council, said to me that we were really good at providing services for young children who were struggling in school.
“There were some not enrolling in school at the time – lots of children that were not on role anywhere and they were desperately short of school places.
“And here we are, five years later, needing to expand it.”
Provided by Gloverspiece School. s
To help them grow the school is looking at buying a farmhouse at an auction but to do so needs donations and investors or to hear from people who may have premises they can use.
The farmhouse in mind has a guide price of £350,000 but is expected to go higher.
Visit crowdfunder.co.uk/p/purchase-of-farm-for-sen-children to donate.
