A new facility to support children with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) is to be established at a school near Ashford.

Kent County Council has agreed to create "specialist resource provision" for 14 children with a primary diagnosis of Developmental Language Disorder at The John Wesley Primary School in Singleton.

It is believed the facility, which will be located in the existing school building, will open in September 2019 with up to six pupils, before growing to capacity over a number of years.

Council papers read: “KCC believes the staff at John Wesley have a high degree of skill and experience at supporting children with speech and language issues.

“We believe they are well placed to develop further from this starting point, and therefore the school can provide the specialist places for those with speech, language and communication needs.”

The primary will receive an extra £10,000 for each “commissioned place”, plus “top up” funding.

Area education officer David Adams added: “The staff at John Wesley have fully embraced the proposal.

“I believe the school is well placed to address the need for specialist places for pupils with SLCN in this part of Kent.”

Meanwhile, a primary school in Gravesend is to cater for 15 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from next year.

Minor changes to two classrooms at Kings Farm Primary School will be made as part of the scheme, which will be ready for pupils in September 2019.

The proposed record of decision, to be signed off after today, reads: “These proposals will have a positive impact in Gravesend as the school will be able to provide support to pupils with a diagnosis of ASD.”

During a consultation earlier in the year, 17 people supported the idea while one was undecided. There were no objections from governors, staff, parents, or pupils.

A secondary school in Sittingbourne is also to be temporarily expanded in order to meet the demand for places.

Westlands School, in Westlands Avenue, will cater for an additional 45 Year 7 pupils in both September 2019 and 2020 after plans for a new school were delayed.

County councillors gave the plans the go-ahead earlier today, with the authority spending £1.96 million to provide replacement mobile classrooms which have already been taken out of use.

Meeting papers read: “Without the additional secondary capacity at The Westlands School from 2019, there will not be sufficient Year 7 places available in Sittingbourne to meet demand.

“This would increase the number of allocated school places, result in children having to travel to other districts of planning groups for their education and would further increase transport costs for Kent County Council.”

The places will be provided until the establishment of a secondary school on the housing development site in Quinton Road, which is currently running behind schedule.

The report adds: “A new all-through school to include primary and secondary provision agreed with developers… has been delayed due to the housing development not coming forward according to the original timeline.

"It is hoped that we will gain access to the site by 2021."