Investing in education and special needs provision This week has been a big one for many families across Bath and North East Somerset. Thousands of children have now found out which secondary school they’ll be going to in September, it’s a major step in a young person’s life. I’m pleased to say nearly nine out of ten children due to start secondary school in Bath and North East Somerset this September have been offered their preferred school. That doesn’t happen by accident. It reflects a huge amount of work by our schools, council teams and education partners, all focused on planning ahead and supporting families through what can be a stressful process. The number of children and young people in Bath and North East Somerset needing support with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) has been steadily rising. To help address increased demand and to reduce expensive out-of-area placements we have confirmed our next steps to invest in high-quality provision for children and young people with SEND and those vulnerable pupils requiring Alternative Provision (AP). At the end of last week we confirmed to the Department for Education our commitment to the delivery of a Free School on the Culverhay site in Bath. Free Schools are state-funded, non-profit, independent schools that are free to attend but not controlled by a local authority. I will keep you updated as this progresses. Keeping children and young people educated within Bath and North East Somerset wherever possible is a key priority for the council. Providing a local specialist school as part of wider work to transform SEND support in Bath & North East Somerset, not only avoids long distances for children and their families to have to travel but also in the longer term reduces costs to the authority. I also wanted to take a moment to talk about something a little different, but just as important: emergency preparedness. Major emergencies are thankfully rare in Bath and North East Somerset. But we all know that things like extreme weather, power cuts or other disruptions can and do happen. Being prepared doesn’t need to be complicated, but having a basic plan can make a real difference if the unexpected occurs. The council has clear, practical advice on how residents can prepare – from understanding local risks to simple steps you can take at home, and how communities can support each other if something goes wrong. You can find this information on our webpages. I’d really encourage you to take a few minutes to have a look. Small actions taken now can help reduce worry later. Finally, for those of you with young children, today has been a celebration of reading thanks to World Book Day. Our libraries celebrated with a variety of events, costume exchanges, and special activities for children and families. A fantastic range of events happen in our libraries throughout the year and you can find out more about them on our website. Have a good weekend. Councillor Kevin Guy,
Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council | 
