Proposal for the Establishment of an Enhanced Resource School Provision and a SEND Unit

Your council Have your say Consultations Proposal for the Establishment of an Enhanced Resource School Provision and a SEND Unit

Status: Closed

Opens: 20 January 2026 - Closes: 16 February 2026

What this consultation is about

Context

Whitfield St James’ C of E Primary School is a school for 3 to 11-year-old children.

Currently the school has 303 children on roll, with 282 of these pupils being of school age.

The school has a capacity of 315 for school age children and has a 43-place nursery.

The school operates an inclusive ethos and is currently informally running an Enhanced Resource School (without ERS Status) for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 who have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Children who are preverbal or non-verbal with Developmental Delay or Autism attend the ERS Provision which is known as the Sunflower Room within school. The school is also informally running a SEND Unit (without SEND Unit Status) for children in Key Stage 1 with an EHCP. Children who are pre-verbal or non-verbal can access the SEND Unit, known as the Bluebell Room within school.

At the end of Key Stage 1, children who access the SEND Unit are then able to transfer to the Enhanced Resource Unit, or if they are not able to access this, a Special School place is sought. We work closely with the school, and parents seek school places at the school due to its positive atmosphere and the support that the staff offer to children and their families.

Proposal

We've proposed that Whitfield St James’ C of E Primary School should have a designation as an Enhance Resource School status and of a SEND Unit status to reflect the existing practice of the school.

The school are already running these provisions but without the status.

Staff

The school has excellent expertise among the staff, both teaching and non-teaching, in working with and supporting the pupils with special educational needs who attend the school. The designation as an Enhanced Resource School and a SEND Unit would enable the school to plan for the training and development of these staff on a more secure basis and with a longer-term perspective.

Funding

Enhanced Resource Schools are funded via the High Needs Block based on a commissioned number of places at the start of each financial year, plus a top-up, allocated monthly, based on actual occupancy.

Top-up values vary depending on the type of ERS or SEND Unit and the key stage of the pupil.

How to take part

We are carrying out this consultation in the following ways:

  • By email

Who is the consultation aimed at?

Which part of Derbyshire is this consultation aimed at?

  • High Peak

Generally, who is this consultation aimed at?

  • Parents or guardians
  • Service users

Specifically, who is this consultation aimed at?

How will we let you know the results?

Feedback about this consultation will be available by the following methods:

  • Our website

Contact details

Address:

  • Amy Warhurst

    • Development Section County Hall Matlock Derbyshire DE4 3AG