New special school planned for Isle of Wight

A new school for children with special education needs and disabilities has been proposed for the Isle of Wight.

Isle of Wight Council and Hampshire County Council have launched a multimillion-pound bid for a new free school in Newport for up to 75 pupils.

The island's authority said a shortage of places meant some pupils were having to travel to the mainland.

The new school would be for pupils aged four to 16 and would be built on land next to Carisbrooke College.

Isle of Wight Council cabinet member for education Debbie Andre said: "At present, some children and young people from the Island have to travel significant distances to access their special schools.

"This only adds to the stress both for them and their parents and means that they don't always arrive at school ready for learning.

"A brand new, centrally located special school would enable them to go to school close to their homes and with their friends, which would support their social and emotional wellbeing."

The council said it has the fifth highest number of pupils with educational health care plans in England at 1,450 and the figure is expected to rise.

Both of the island's maintained special schools are full and pupils are being placed in more expensive independent placements on the island and on the mainland.

Free schools are funded directly by the Department for Education (DfE) rather than through the local authority.

The DfE is expected to make an announcement on the funding bid at the end of the year.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].