Good afternoon everyone. During our last live, we shared details of our next venture, which will be in support of the local primary school that Lyla currently attends.

Although this is not a designated Special Educational Needs (SEN) school, many will be aware that access to SEN placements is subject to lengthy waiting times, and capacity limitations mean that not every child who requires such provision can be accommodated. In response to this growing need, Elm Hall Primary School has seen a rise in children requiring additional support and has taken proactive steps to create a more inclusive learning environment. These efforts have enabled children like Lyla to thrive within a mainstream setting.

One of our followers works closely with Lyla in an unofficial one-to-one capacity, and we want to acknowledge the outstanding work carried out by the staff. However, children with autism and other SEN often benefit greatly from outdoor spaces, and the current flooring presents a barrier to this. The school requires new outdoor flooring at a cost of approximately £2,750 to ensure the space is safe and accessible.

We will be donating £1,000 towards this project and are hopeful that, with additional support, the remaining funds can be raised so the new flooring can be installed as soon as possible.

Elm Hall has also established a dedicated SEN hub to support inclusion. It is important to highlight that the school is not obligated to provide this level of provision; they have chosen to do so because they recognise the challenges faced by these children and want to be part of the solution. Unfortunately, ongoing funding reductions make initiatives such as this increasingly difficult to sustain.

We believe this is an important opportunity to recognise and support a school that is actively working to meet the needs of all children within its community.