New inclusion centre opens at St George's Beneficial C of E Primary School

Specialist support for children will be available at a new inclusion centre that has opened at a primary school.

St George’s Beneficial C of E Primary School, in Portsea, is celebrating the launch of The Quay Centre, which officially opened on Friday, October 23, and will provide a calm and supportive environment that meets pupils’ sensory and learning needs.

Izzy Lewis, headteacher at St George’s Beneficial C of E Primary School, said: “We are proud to be part of the exciting development in the city. The building is wonderful and provides pupils with SEND the opportunity to thrive in an environment tailored to their needs. The Quay will enable us to offer the right support for every child, while ensuring they remain valued, included and fully connected to the wider school community.”

The school contacted Portsmouth City Council in 2025 with the opportunity to transform the former nursery and children's centre building into a dedicated centre with space for up to 32 pupils. It will provide tailored support within a mainstream school setting, including for children who are waiting for a place at a specialist SEND school.

The refurbished building has been designed by the council's in-house team to provide a calm and supportive environment that meets pupils’ sensory and learning needs. It includes sensory regulation spaces, areas to help pupils access learning alongside their peers in mainstream classrooms, and a dedicated outdoor play area.

The school hosted a launch event, which was attended by the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Cllr Abdul Kadir, Cllr Steve Pitt, leader of Portsmouth City Council, Cllr Nick Dorrington, cabinet member for children, families and education, bishop Ian Brackley, St George's head teacher Izzy Lewis, as well as council education officers and representatives from the school and the Diocese.

Councillor Steve Pitt, Leader of Portsmouth City Council, said: “Working with schools across Portsmouth to make them more accessible for pupils with SEND is vital. It is really great to see this new inclusion centre open and ready to support children.

"By investing in facilities like this, we are creating more opportunities for children to receive the support they need while benefiting from being part of a mainstream school community.”

Jeff Williams, director of education for the Church of England Diocese of Portsmouth, said: “Valuing each individual pupil is a vital part of the Christian ethos of all of our church schools. This new centre for children with special educational needs allows those pupils to be part of the wider school community, while also having access to specialist provision when they need it.”

The centre is part of Portsmouth City Council’s ongoing programme to create inclusion centres across the city. By bringing specialist support into mainstream schools, the programme gives pupils access to tailored learning environments alongside opportunities to learn, play and socialise with their peers.

The centre is already transforming education for children with additional needs. For nine-year-old Parker Hull, the new inclusion centre at St George’s CofE Primary School in Portsea is literally life-changing.

At his previous school, he lacked concentration and found it hard to learn. His mum Danielle Balchin could be called into school several times each day and had started considering home-schooling.

Now he has a place at The Quay at St George’s, a specialist centre providing support for children with special educational needs and disabilities. The therapeutic-style classrooms, small class sizes and specialist support is making a real difference.

“The main thing is that he is actually willing to go into school, and I’m not being rung five or six times each day,” said Danielle. “The centre is fully equipped, the teachers are trained to cope with his needs, and the rooms are really calm and help him to focus.

“In his previous school, he was always separate from the rest of his class having one-to-one with an assistant, because of his special needs. Here he is part of a small class, which really makes him feel part of things.

“He has read more books since September than the past three years combined. He is learning so much academically and socially. And he is communicating with us more – telling us at home what he is learning at school. I’m hoping we can push forward and he’ll reach his full potential here.”