The need for this facility
We are committed to increasing the number of places for children and young people with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) within the local area. Demand for Specialist School places has been greater than our capacity, and this has meant we have to rely on out-of-county placements. This is a lot more expensive, and does not deliver such good outcomes for the child/young person as they cannot get the support they need close to home and family. There is currently no SEND residential provision in the area that caters for the needs of our most complex and vulnerable children.
The scope of the scheme
The location of the scheme will be Charlton House, a vacant former residential care home. We plan to transform this into a school and two residential homes for children aged 11 to 18 with complex needs, including Autism and Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) challenges.
The school will offer 30 placements and will include secure, modern teaching and social spaces, along with external gardens and sensory areas. The two homes will each offer accommodation for 4 children, with sleep-in staff provision, living and support spaces and a house garden. Read in more detail about the proposed facilities
The benefits of this special provision
This new school will make a life-changing difference to young people with some of the most complex needs in Bath and North East Somerset. It will provide:
- a safe, specialist environment tailored to their needs
- highly skilled staff, therapists and health professionals on-site
- support to develop communication, independence and life skills
- space and equipment to help these young people learn and play in the ways that work best for them
Our vision: A place at the heart of the Keynsham community
Charlton House is ideally located to provide a welcoming, supportive and inclusive setting for both the new SEND school and the two small children's homes. The site sits in the heart of Keynsham, just a short walk from Keynsham High Street, the Civic Centre (home to Children’s Services), the leisure centre, library, Memorial Park and local shops and cafés. This means that the children and young people will be able to safely and easily access everything the town has to offer, from sport and recreational activities to everyday amenities and community events.
Being so closely connected to the town centre is a vital part of the vision for this project. Children and young people with additional needs often thrive when they are embedded within a strong and supportive community. Keynsham provides that environment: a friendly, established and vibrant town where they can grow in confidence, build life skills, and feel truly included.
By locating the school and homes here, these young people will have the chance to become active members of the community, shopping locally, using public services, enjoying the park, meeting neighbours and taking part in everyday life. This project is about ensuring that they are not placed on the edge of society, but right at its heart, where they belong.
Charlton House will sit alongside the people and places that make Keynsham such a great town, creating an opportunity for these children and young people to feel valued, supported and part of the local community from day one.