Council to open new 450k Iver send unit to help tackle surge in demand

A new SEND unit is set to open at a Buckinghamshire school to help tackle a surge in demand.

Buckinghamshire Council has approved plans for an eight-place unit for pupils with communication and interaction needs, including autism, at Iver Village Junior School.

The new unit will operate alongside the school’s existing 220 mainstream places and will be staffed by specialist teachers trained to support pupils with autism.

It would be based in refurbished rooms at the front of the school and will have its own outdoor play area in a renovated courtyard.

The aim of the provision is to help pupils access the mainstream curriculum while also receiving specialist support.

Pupils would spend most of their time in the facility, but would be able to join in with parts of the school day where appropriate.

Specialist staff, including teachers and learning support assistants, would manage it.

Additional professionals, such as speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, and play therapists, would also support the pupils, depending on their individual needs.

Further professionals would be employed depending on the needs of the children

All staff working in the unit would be trained to support children with autism.
In addition, all staff at Iver Village Junior School would receive training to support pupils with communication and interaction needs.

The £450,000 refurbishment will be funded through government capital funding for SEND provision.

Paul Griffin, an independent councillor for Iver, said: “I am 100 per cent in support of any initiative that takes learning to a better level for our SEND youngsters and that am very happy to support this plan.

“It will be fabulous to have this facility in our community and I hope this is the start of something bigger in The Ivers”.

Fellow ward councillor Wendy Matthews said she fully supported the plans, describing the unit as a much-needed addition to local SEND capacity.
During the initial public consultation on the proposal, one objection was received.

Over the past five years, the number of children and young people with communication and interaction needs in Buckinghamshire has risen by 82 per cent – an increase of 1,642 pupils.

A further 1,080 children with similar needs are expected over the next five years.

The new unit is expected to open in January 2026, the council said the proposal offered good value for money by providing local specialist places within a mainstream school, helping children remain closer to their communities while reducing the need for more costly placements in special or independent schools.