A NEW school and respite care home for severely disabled youngsters is opening its doors after battling residents’ objections and planning rules.

The Our Place School off the A4103 in Bransford, near Worcester, officially opens on Friday, December 3, offering long-term accommodation and schooling, initially for up to four pupils.

Christine Hart, who turned the idea of a school from dream to reality, said the need for the school was more ‘vital’ than ever because Government funding for children’s social services was being squeezed because of spending cuts.

Getting the school to this point wasn’t easy but it had been worth it, said Ms Hart.

The school, recently approved by Ofsted inspectors, will expand to eight places in the new year and is now trying to attract public sector commissioners and private clients to look around the facilities.

There are outdoor teaching areas including a small animal area with rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens, and indoor classrooms including an ICT suite with touch sensitive screens and an assembly room with all lessons following National Curriculum guidelines.

Studies will include key skills and social skills from basics which most people might take for granted, like learning how to use money, for example, to dance and music.

In the evenings there will be time for relaxation, including the use of a multi-sensory room.

Ms Hart said: “We’ve managed to negotiate every single hurdle – I was determined because I knew I was right and Worcestershire desperately needs this.

“At the moment, there are children from the county being sent all over the UK and families having to split up and we need that to change. I fought because I believed so passionately there was this need.”

Ms Hart has also assembled a highly-skilled workforce for the new school, from therapists to social care nurses with years of experience to newly-qualified trainees.

“When we advertised for the 43 roles, we got 500 responses, and we made a decision to take on juniors as well, because we want to commit to training them up,” said Ms Hart.