Five new support hubs planned for Norfolk schools

2 days ago

Clare Wordenin Sheringham

News image — Sheringham High School is one of the schools which will open a specialist resource base (SRB) to help children with social, emotional and mental health needs

SAINT DESIGNS View of the Sheringham High School Building which has six tall trees in front of it. The building is sand-coloured with flat roofs. — Sheringham High School is one of the schools which will open a specialist resource base (SRB) to help children with social, emotional and mental health needs

Five new specialist resource bases (SRBs) are being established in Norfolk schools, including one which is closing its sixth form.

The bases will offer extra support to children with additional social, emotional and mental health needs - while keeping them in a mainstream teaching environment.

One school which is opening an SRB is Sheringham High School run by Synergy Multi Academy Trust (SMAT).

In January the trust announced that the sixth form on the site was closing with pupils being offered places at Reepham College.

Clare Worden/BBC CEO at The Synergy Multi Academy Trust Alistair Ogle sits at a teacher's desk surrounded by books and computers.
He is wearing a dark blue suit and a grey striped tie. — Synergy Multi Academy Trust CEO Alistair Ogle said the new SRB would have three staff and be created in existing buildings on the site

Alistair Ogle, chief executive at SMAT, says the new SRB will have three dedicated staff members when it opens in January 2027.

"It's a really exciting additional provision," he said.

"It means that children can get the support in their locality which is better for them, better for their learning and better for families as well."

The trust runs 15 schools across the county, including Sheringham High.

Norfolk County Council (NCC) is funding the new SRBs as part of a programme called Local First Inclusion.

Andy Tovell, head of alternative provision sufficiency and delivery at NCC, said: "Strengthening support and developing provision to better help children to access learning in secondary schools is one of the key priorities of our Local First Inclusion programme."

The BBC asked Ogle why the sixth form college on the Sheringham site was closing.

He said it was not closing - but was changing.

"Students wishing to do A-levels from this area will now get free transport to Reepham College," he said.

"We're really pleased that they'll have the opportunity to access up to 25 different A-level courses there.

"Vocational courses will continue at Sheringham sixth form and that's something that we are continuing to develop and build upon."

Reepham College is 17 miles away from the Sheringham site.

Philip Bailey, the Liberal Democrat district councillor for Sheringham South, said he remained concerned at the changes.

"Our fear is that this approach further narrows the curriculum and will further increase the inequalities our young people and families face in a coastal community."

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