On 18th June 2026, following a statutory consultation, approval was given by the Executive Board to progress with the capital works to support the provision of new places or to expand existing provision for pupils and students with high needs as follows:
The responses to the consultation for each school were overwhelmingly in support of the proposals.
The decision has been made to proceed with the expansion of provision to ensure that wherever possible children and young people can be educated in local specialist educational provision within Halton which in turn helps to reduce expensive out-borough placement and transport costs, and meet specialist need more locally within Halton.
The programme of works and expansion of provision will also support the SEND strategic plan to increase sufficiency of inclusive, educational provision in borough. Expanding the in borough offer will also support children and young people with SEND to achieve their aspirations and achieve strong outcomes, fulfilling their potential.
High Needs Provision Capital funding will be used to provide the facilities required for the new provision and the revenue costs of the new provision will be met from the High Needs budget.
Development will now begin so that the new bases will be fully operational by September 2027.
Early Years / Key Stage 1 / Key Stage 2 Speech, Language, Communication & Interaction/Cognition and Learning Inclusion Base at Fairfield Primary School, Widnes.
Early Years / Key Stage 1 & Key Stage 2 Speech, Language, & Communication Inclusion Base at Gorsewood Primary School, Runcorn.
Early Years / Key Stage 1 / Key Stage 2 Speech, Language & Communication Inclusion Base at Hale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Widnes.
Early Years / Key Stage 1 & Key Stage 2 Communication Need & Interaction Inclusion Base at Windmill Hill Primary School, Runcorn.
Key Stage 3 & Key Stage 4 Speech, Language, Communication & Interaction/Cognition and Learning Inclusion Base at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic High School, Widnes
In March 2025 the Council received notification from the Department for Education that it would be allocated a further circa £1.2M of capital funding (High Needs Provision Capital Allocation) to support the provision of new places or to expand existing provision for pupils and students with high needs.
In the autumn term 2025, officers wrote to all schools to seek expressions of interest from them in offering new or additional SEND provision at their school, based against the required need as set out in the most recent SEND Sufficiency Strategy. The Council’s Executive Board at its meeting held on 12th March 2026, agreed to the commencement of statutory consultations on this additional SEND provision for the above schools.
As the offer would be completely new provision at those schools, it requires the publication of a statutory notice, in accordance with the Making Significant Changes (“Prescribed Alterations”) to Maintained Schools 2025 guidance, set against the School Organisation (Prescribed Alterations to Maintained Schools) (England) Regulations 2013. This is the purpose of this consultation.
This Statutory Consultation process will be held from 15th April 2026 – 13th May 2026.
The five schools requiring a Statutory Notice are as follows:
Early Years / Key Stage 1 / Key Stage 2 Speech, Language, Communication & Interaction/Cognition and Learning Inclusion Base (up to 16 places)
Please click here to view the Statutory Notice for Fairfield Primary School, Peelhouse Lane, Widnes. WA8 6TH
A public meeting will be held at Fairfield Primary School on Wednesday 29th April 2026 at 5.00pm.
If you wish to respond to the consultation to create a Speech, Language, Communication & Interaction/Cognition and Learning Inclusion Base at Fairfield Primary School please click here
Early Years / Key Stage 1 & Key Stage 2 Speech, Language, & Communication Inclusion Base (up to 16 places).
Please click here to view the Statutory Notice for Gorsewood Primary School, Gorsewood Road, Murdishaw, Runcorn. WA7 6ES
A public meeting will be held at Gorsewood Primary School on. Tuesday 28th April 2026 at 4.45pm.
If you wish to respond to the consultation to create an Early Years / Key Stage 1 & Key Stage 2 Speech, Language, & Communication Inclusion Base at Gorsewood Primary School please click here
Early Years / Key Stage 1 / Key Stage 2 Speech, Language and Communication Inclusion Base (up to 8 places)
Please click here to view the Statutory Notice for Hale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Hesketh Road, Hale, L24 4AN
A public meeting will be held at Hale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School on Thursday 30th April 2026 at 5.00pm.
If you wish to respond to the consultation to create a Early Years / Key Stage 1/ Key Stage 2 Speech, Language and Communication Inclusion Base at Hale Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School please click here
Early Years / Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Communication and Interaction Inclusion Base (up to 10 places)
Please click here to view the Statutory Notice for Windmill Hill Primary School, Windmill Hill, Runcorn WA7 6QE
A public meeting will be held at Windmill Hill Primary School on Monday 27th April 2026 at 4.30pm.
If you wish to respond to the consultation to create an Early Years /Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Communication and Interaction Inclusion Base at Windmill Hill Primary School please click here
Key Stage 3 & Key Stage 4 Speech, Language, Communication and Interaction / Cognition and Learning Inclusion Base (up to 12 places)
Please click here to view the Statutory Notice for Saints Peter and Paul Catholic High School, Highfield Road, Widnes WA8 7DW
A public meeting will be held at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic High School on Tuesday 5th May 2026 at 5.00pm.
If you wish to respond to the consultation to create a Key Stage 3 & Key Stage 4 Speech, Language, Communication and Interaction/ Cognition and Learning Inclusion Base at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic High School please click here
Alternatively, objections or comments to the consultations listed above can be put in writing to Mr M Reaney, Director - Legal and Democratic Services, Municipal Building, Kingsway, Widnes WA8 7QF. Paper copies of the Statutory Notice can also be requested using this address.
All responses to the consultation must be received by Wednesday 13th May 2026. You will not receive an individual response to any comment submitted. Following closure of the consultation, the Local Authority will review the responses and report back to the Executive Board on the 18th June 2026 who will then determine whether the Inclusion Bases will be created.