An integrated resource unit is a specialist unit within an existing school for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and who have an educational health care plan (EHCP).

In line with the national picture there is an increase in children with SEND needs in our local area and city wide. Special schools do not have sufficient places and there are now more and more children who have an educational health care plan (EHCP) in mainstream schools. There is a pressure on primary schools to meet the needs of local children who live within this catchment area and this is forecast to continue. The local authority is looking for schools to support them by having integrated resources on site to meet this need. This proposal will ensure that the city can meet the needs of local pupils by providing IR school places within the catchment area.

We are not proposing to link any mainstream admissions change to this IR – Stocksbridge Junior School will remain a community school for local children.

This consultation will run from Friday 22 November 2024 and ends on Friday 20 December 2024 at noon. As the consultation progresses, and if further queries arise, we will update these FAQs. Consultation responses will then be considered by Stocksbridge Junior School and the Chorus Board of Trustees and they will consider, if appropriate, what changes we need to make to our proposals.

Stocksbridge Junior School’s current official “Pupil Allocation Number” (PAN) is 90 per year group, we are not proposing to change this. The 20 IR places will be in addition to the current PAN.

The overall look and feel of our current school building will not change as a result of this proposal. To accommodate the IR pupils, we propose to refurbish and slightly extend the former caretaker's bungalow (known as Cedar Lodge) using a small area around it to create outdoor secure play space for the children.

Please note this is not a planning consultation. If planning permission is required, Stocksbridge Junior School and Chorus Trust will handle all planning matters separately through a formal planning application submission. Full plans for the project will be shared, and people will be able to respond formally through the planning portal at www.sheffield.gov.uk/home/planning-development/search-view-comment.

This is an initial communication to make our parents, carers and local community aware and to gauge the level of support for the proposed IR.

All capital costs associated with building the new building will be funded by the Local Authority.

Current pupils will continue their education as normal during the process. We can fully secure the site and will try to mimimise disruption and complete as much work as possible out of school term time.

No, our current pupil-teacher ratios and class sizes are expected to continue.

Stocksbridge Junior School pupils already benefit from access to the school’s extensive grounds. We will create a small secure outdoor play and social area space immediately outside the IR building.

We have commissioned a full travel survey to review the impact of the increased number of students and this will be available to review, via the Sheffield City Council Planning Portal, once a full planning application has been submitted. Our catchment area is not changing and so the vast majority of our students will continue to either walk to school or use public transport.

Our contractors will work with the local authority to ensure minimal disruption. Health and safety considerations will always be given the highest priority. It is proposed there will be a fenced off access area for contractors, which will be kept separate from the main school building.