Member Article

Darlington Education Village praised by officials

The recently opened Darlington Education Village has been singled out for praise in a House of Commons Select Committee report on Education and Skills, released last week. Officials visited the village in May this year, and the concluding report holds up the campus as a successful example of how to meet the challenges of delivering inclusive education for the growing number of children with special educational needs (SEN). The £37.3m education village is the first of its kind in the country designed to offer nursery, primary, secondary and SEN education on one multi-function campus and was opened in April this year. Built on a former school site at Salters Lane South, the village replaces three schools - Haughton Community School, Springfield Primary School and Beaumont Hill School and Technology College. All indoor teaching areas include interactive whiteboards and wireless internet access, and are supported by a learning resource centre and library which includes individual learning areas. A total of 550 computers are spread throughout the school, in a range of fully equipped design and technology classrooms. Other unique features include a large performance hall which opens out onto the village green for outdoor performances, together with separate music rooms, dance and drama studios. In addition to the mainstream facilities, which are open to pupils and the wider community, the needs of disabled and SEN children are addressed by interactive music therapy rooms, a multi-sensory room, a soft play area, dedicated parents and therapist spaces and a hydrotherapy pool. Overall classroom sizes have also been made over 25% larger than average, to take account of users with wheelchairs.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .