💚A wonderful visit to Kirkleatham Hall School! 💚

I recently had the absolute pleasure of visiting Kirkleatham Hall School, which provides specialist education and care to children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Thank you so much to the brilliant staff who showed me round their excellent facilities, including sensory and soft-play rooms and a forest school to get the students outside. And to the lovely children who lit up each classroom and made the whole visit so much fun, thank you for putting a smile on my face.

It was especially great to see how the staff adapted their approach for the individual needs of each child. It is vital that all children are given the best start in life, and to see a school so dedicated to making that happen was truly inspiring. The school not only works to provide brilliant care for the children, but also looks after parents through parental support classes and regular drop ins, which really showed me how much they care.

The challenges that SEND schools face are not lost on me, from capacity concerns to delays with EHC plans. It was so useful to hear the concerns of the team and understand where Labour can help to ensure SEND schools like Kirkleatham Hall can thrive. But it is also really important that children without access to specialist schools receive the same attention and care, which is why I’m so glad that Labour is investing in creating new specialist places in mainstream schools. We have already pledged £740 million towards adapting classrooms, facilities and curriculums to provide more intensive support in keeping with pupils’ needs, so I’m excited to see how we can continue to support our children across the nation!

Thank you again to Kirkleatham Hall for having me⭐️ 🎉