Proposed free school to focus on teaching children with special educational needs

The proposed primary would take pupils from Kilburn

A free school which hoped to speedily identify children with special educational needs could be set up in North Westminster after the Constable Education Trust (CET) submitted their application to the Government.

Organisers hope to set up the two form primary school in Carlton Gate, in Westbourne Park, and it would take in pupils from across Westminster and parts of Brent including Kilburn.

If the government gives it the green light, the school will focus on early intervention for children with special educational needs, and to encourage gifted and talented children.

Each entry form will be made up of a particular age group, however the school would focus on teaching students’ according to their ability meaning that some classes may include pupils of different ages.

Ronda Fogel, a director at CET, said the group wanted to bring needs based teaching to a school in an area of high deprivation.

She said: “We were looking for areas of deprivation where families are on free school meals.

“We have identified something which hasn’t been identified before. We are looking at children who have needs, whether these are needs because they are exceptional learners, or because they have special needs.

“We believe that early intervention and early identification to help these children is the only way forward and it saves a huge amount of money in later years.”