A NEW £250,000 hub for special needs children has been opened at Minehead Middle School, and is now up and running. The hub, which includes a designated classroom, sensory room and occupational therapy room, is a flagship for special needs education at the school, as well as for the West Somerset Academies Trust of which it is part.

Headteacher Daniel Hartley said Minehead Middle School had about 80 special needs children, most of whom would use the new space along with teaching assistants and special staff: “We wanted to focus on special needs children, to give them the best support so they can make the most progress.

“We have always had a good space for special needs education, but this makes it a hub and, as a trust, it means in the future we can bring in staff from other schools to be trained there and to use the space too.

“We are incredibly proud that we focus on trying to make the best progress for all children. We are inclusive and want every child to make the best progress they can – this provides the resource for certain children to succeed in that opportunity,” he said.