Minister hears about Knockevin SEN hopes

Minister hears about Knockevin SEN hopes

24 April 2024

THE potential for a purpose-built centre of excellence in Downpatrick for special needs children was discussed during a meeting in the town last week.

Stormont Education Minister Paul Givan met with Knockevin Special School officials when the possibility of a new capital build project for its pupils at the grammar school site to accommodate increasing demand was discussed.

Down High moves to a new £33m home at the Strangford Road in the town next year, with the vacated site viewed as ideal for Knockevin to relocate its existing bases.

Knockevin caters for pupils with severe learning difficulties aged between three to 19 with its Early Years Centre based in Dundrum. The junior and multi-disciplinary department is headquartered in Downpatrick, with the senior school located in Castlewellan.  

Currently, some pupils have to travel between the three sites which eats into their time with the one-site option favoured by the school and local politicians.

Mr Givan met with Knockevin principal Sara Liddell, school governors and South Down MLA Colin McGrath.

The government department said any expansion or move to new accommodation would require a level of capital investment but, given Down High’s relocation, its large Mount Crescent site

is being viewed as the ideal location for a new home for Knockevin which would ensure all its pupils are educated on the one site.

Knockevin has a long-term aim to move to a purpose-built special school on a single site serving the children in the area to enhance the excellent service it already provides and says such a move would allow it to cater for more pupils.

The school’s governors have ideas for special needs education in the area and are linking with the Department for Education, the Education Authority and Controlled Schools Council.

Mr McGrath made the case for a dedicated new school for Knockevin during last week’s visit to help safeguard the school’s future.

He said Mr Givan had an opportunity to see the work going on at Knockevin and a chance to meet the children and staff.

Mr McGrath said the case for Knockevin to be based at a new single-site school was made.

The Assemblyman said he recently discovered that Knockevin is the only special school in the country operating across three sites.  

“This only underscores that it is a unique school that is fighting everyday to ensure our children who attend receive the very best education possible,” said Mr McGrath.

“Staff members and Board of Governors representatives were able to honestly express their experiences of the Department over the last number of years and, to his credit, I do believe the Minister understood the complexities they are facing.”

Mr McGrath said the minister gave a commitment to discuss the needs of the school and seek solutions with his officials, while also highlighting this with the Health Minister, “as there is such an important tie between the two departments”.

Mr McGrath said last week’s visit was the next step in delivering a purpose built facility for Knockevin.

He added: “This school does such amazing work in the local area and I look forward to the next steps on that journey.”

The meeting came after Mr Givan confirmed plans to increase the number of special education needs places across South Down which was an area experiencing “particular pressure”.

The Education Authority is planning to create up to 25 additional special school places and up to 40 additional specialist paces in mainstream education.