Discovery Trust's SEND Plan for Melton College

0:00The former Milton College site, including its theater, library, and main building, is up for sale at 3.5 million pounds. Discovery Trust is pushing hard on a plan to buy it and turn it into a special educational needs and disabilities facility or send, offering 75 spots for kids aged 4 to 19. They're aiming to serve families in Leicestershire with a focus on Milton District, Harborough, and Charnwood areas. The Trust wants to link it with their Birchwood schools and add an outreach hub for training mainstream teachers on inclusion, using experts like educational psychologists. Parents are fired up about this. A petition by Leicestershire Mom, Lisa Brahmall, has over 2,500 signatures. Her 13-year-old daughter, with complex needs, faces over an hour and 15 minutes of travel for post-16 education right now, which she calls exhausting and unfair for so many families. Discovery Trust says they've done their homework, built a business case, and are working with partners, but it'll take months for a full update.

1:04The Council is reviewing the plans carefully, while the sellers haven't commented yet. This could keep the theater alive for community use and bring vital local support right where it's needed, so fingers crossed it moves forward smooth. Lester News today, powered by AI bringing you what matters.