This is the responce that David Rutley received from Lorraine Butcher after a meeting Mr Rutley had with one of our members Karen Beech regarding the Autistic specific school within East Cheshire.

Regarding the Autism specific school i received a letter from David Rutley with it a response from Lorraine Butcher which went as follows:
    BRIEFING NOTE FOR DAVID RUTLEY MP
    Autistic Spectrum Condition School
The ongoing review of arrangements for young people with Special Educational Needs and Disability recommended the development of a local Special School for Children with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) between the ages of 4 to 19 as a priority
 
Currently, children and young people with ASC can be supported in mainstream settings, if they do not have additional learning difficulties. Those who have a diagnosis of ASC and who also do have very severe learning difficulties, can be educated at Park lane and Springfield Special Schools, in Macclesfield and Crewe respectively.
However, there are some children and young people for whom these options are not appropriate, resulting in a gap for an ASC-specific Special School provision in Cheshire East. Cheshire East Council’s ambition is to create an excellent special school that will allow children to remain as close to their family and local community as possible. This supports the Council’s vision that ‘no child, or young person is left behind’, enabling every child and young person to achieve the best possible outcomes.
In November 2011, an Outline Business Case for the establishment of an ASC-specific Special School and Service was submitted to Cheshire East Council’s Cabinet. The Cabinate approved in principle the proposed and voted in favour of further investigating the possiblity of the Borough’s first Autistic Spectrum Condition (ASC)-specific Special School dedicated to teaching children with Autism between the ages 4 to 19.
A feasibility study has now been commissioned which will provide an options appraisal for developing the new ASC-specific Special School and Service on the site of the former Church Lawton Primary School, near Alsager. The building has stood empty since 2009, when the school closed due to falling numbers of pupils. It is anticipated that the ASC-specific Special School and Service will be opened September 2013
Lorraine Butcher
Strategic Director Children, Families & Adults

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