26 August 2010
A project to renovate a floor of the former convent at Beaulieu School to provide facilities for students with learning support needs will be helped by fiscal stimulus money.
Beaulieu is supporting increasing numbers of girls aged 4-18 with special learning needs and in the past year has accepted a number of students from other schools who have benefited from the school ethos and single sex environment.
Supported by the Department for Education, Sport and Culture, £67,500 has been allocated to Beaulieu to enable the scheme to proceed to tender.
The school already has private sector funds of £100,000 and around £50,000 available from school funds. The next funding decision (for contract costs of around £500,000) will be considered for further fiscal stimulus money once the results of the tender process and evaluation have been submitted to the Treasury.
Treasury and Resources Minister Senator Philip Ozouf said “This money enables a construction contract to be placed in the market which would not, in the absence of fiscal stimulus funding, go ahead.”
Beaulieu headmaster Chris Beirne said “Beaulieu is committed to ESC’s policy on inclusion and seeks to provide a service to the Island for students of all abilities.
“Over the past few years Beaulieu has developed its approach to supporting students with specific and challenging learning needs. It has accepted students from other Island schools where it has become difficult or impossible for them to remain in those schools, particularly supporting students with challenges such as Aspergers syndrome, dyslexia and girls needing emotional and behavioural support.
“Our success in supporting these students has led to a growing demand from parents and means that Beaulieu needs further investment in its buildings to meet their daughters’ specific learning needs.”
The renovation work entails the construction of an external lift tower and the refurbishment of the upper floor to provide four classrooms and toilets.
Education Minister Deputy James Reed said “This project is a partnership between Beaulieu School and ESC and is aligned with one of the department’s strategic objectives of social inclusion and equal opportunity.
“Although facilities exist in Island schools for students with specific support needs, the single sex environment and the particular ethos of Beaulieu School is proving to be very successful in supporting some of these students and I fully support this latest initiative.”
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