Dear VI families and students, neighbouring local authorities and the Greenwich Parent Carer Forum,
I am writing to all stakeholders, organisations and agencies involved in SEND to share with you the consultation paper for the closure of the designated Visual Impairment provision at Stationers’ Crown Woods Academy and to detail the rationale for this proposal. This consultation document sets out a proposal in direct response to a number of factors that can be evidenced:
- The rapid decline in numbers of students at the VI provision at SCWA
- Financial viability of the current service model in the context of rapidly declining numbers of students
- Inability to retain and attract qualified members of staff to lead the provision
- Students and families opting to remain in a non-specialist mainstream provision with an individual package of support
- The position of neighbouring Local Authorities who are choosing to place students with a VI in different provisions
The document forms the basis for formal consultation with the academy, families, students attending the provision, neighbouring local authorities and the Greenwich Parent Carer Forum.
SCWA VI Consultation Paper 2021/22
Please take the opportunity to read through the attached consultation paper; we welcome comments, feedback and questions and have set up an email address to specifically respond to these: Vlconsultation@scwa.org.uk.
It is proposed that from the end of the summer term the designated provision for VI students at SCWA will be closed; the Royal Borough of Greenwich remains committed to ensuring that all students with a VII continue to receive the highest quality of VI support at whatever provision they choose.
Kind Regards,
Mr W Barnett
Principal
