Council to Cut Back on Sending Pupils with Special Needs to Private Schools
Dudley Council plans to save money by reducing the number of children with special needs placed in independent schools.
A meeting of the Social Care and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee discussed repurposing the Unicorn Centre to take pupils with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).
- The Unicorn Centre, on Brettell Lane in Amblecote, was originally built for adults but closed in 2024.
- Currently, 14 children attend the centre, with plans to increase this to up to 50 youngsters in the next two years.
The average cost per pupil at the Unicorn Centre is £86,000 per year, compared to £141,000 at an independent school.
Committee members were informed of the cost savings at a meeting on October 22.
Author's summary: Dudley Council seeks to reduce costs by placing special needs pupils in local facilities.