A school in the Black Country which caters for children with learning difficulties will receive a £300,000 cash boost after it gained recognition for the way pupils communicate.
Old Park Primary School, in Dudley, has been awarded specialist status for communication and interaction. All of the pupils have difficulty making themselves understood and use signing, symbols and objects of reference to help get their message across. The school will now receive Government funding of thousands of pounds over the next three years.
This will be to further help develop its curriculum.
Staff at the school raised £20,000 in sponsorship and submitted a detailed bid to achieve the specialist status.
This has enabled it to secure a further £100,000 of government funding to purchase new equipment and resources.
The extra funding will also support the school in increasing its outreach ser-vice by delivering a programme of training to the school and community partners.
Councillor Liz Walker, Dudley cabinet member for children’s services, said: “Congratulations to all the governors, staff and pupils at the school. This is a fantastic achievement which I know everyone has worked hard for.
“Gaining specialist status brings significant benefits for both the school and its partners.
“I would like to thank all staff for their hard work and I look forward to seeing the many opportunities this will provide for our pupils”.
Old Park has a bright future as work on an ambitious £8.5 million learning village for children in Dudley is expected to start later this year
Under the proposals the special school will be merged with Thorns Community College and also Thorns Primary school.
Old Park’s new environmentally friendly school will contain 14 classrooms, a multi-use games area, a hydrotherapy pool, sensory room and specialist teaching areas
All three schools will be based in separate buildings but will be linked to create a single site.
They will enjoy joint facilities such as a new football pitch. A new car park will be used by all three schools and a one-way system established through the site.
Council bosses are hopeful building work will start later this year or early 2009.
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