East Yorkshire to gain new special educational needs school

Plans for a new school for children with special educational needs in East Yorkshire have been approved by the government.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council said the free school in Welton, west of Hull, would provide 120 places.

The Department for Education announced the plans as part of reforms to specialist provision.

Victoria Aitken, the council's education portfolio holder, said the approval was "a crucial step forward".

But she added "we will not stop fighting for the funding" to address a shortage of schools which cater to pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

In 2021, the council apologised after an Ofsted and Care Quality Commission inspection criticised its specialist provision and highlighted problems such as a lack of proper school places for autistic children.

The council said the new school, located at the former site of St Anne's School and Sixth Form College, was an important part of its plan to meet demand.

The school will take on young people with complex special educational requirements, including social, emotional and mental health needs, which is the largest area of demand in the East Riding.

The council has begun the process of finding an academy trust to run the school, as required by government legislation.

It said it would work with the government, parents and carers to design the facility, which will be built by the Department for Education.

Ms Aitkin said it was vital children with SEND could receive the support they needed in their local area.

She added: "The opening of this new special free school will create an outstanding learning and nurturing environment which will engage our children and young people, develop their confidence and resilience and provide them with a life-transforming education."

East Riding receives the fourth-lowest schools funding in England.

The Department for Education said its long-awaited SEND reforms aimed to improve what it called a "postcode lottery".

School leaders have welcomed the plans, but said the "desperately needed" new schools "will take years to build".

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