The expansion of a special school in Harrogate for up to 45 more pupils is set to be considered at a meeting next month.
Springwater School - a community special school in Starbeck - caters for students aged from two to 19 who have a range of special educational needs including autism, profound and multiple learning difficulties and speech, language and communication needs.
The school provided 112 places for children during the 2023/24 academic year.
Members of North Yorkshire Council’s Children and Young People’s Service executive will meet on Tuesday, September 3 to consider approving a consultation to expand the number of places to 157 from September next year.
The proposed expansion would be achieved through a significant capital investment to redevelop two council-owned buildings next to the school creating dedicated classrooms, new changing facilities, outdoor space including an area for sixth-form pupils, a kitchen, plus a sensory room.
The investment would not only provide more places but also significantly improve the facilities available to all children who attend the school now and in the future.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for education, learning and Skills, Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, said:
“Locally and nationally, the numbers of children being identified with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) is rapidly increasing. In North Yorkshire, there has been an increase in the number of children with Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) of 95 per cent since 2018.
“Whilst the majority of children with EHCPs have their needs met in their local mainstream school, there are others who require a more specialist setting. The council, in recent years, has increased special school places from 820 in 2018 to 1,450 in 2024.
“Despite the significant funding challenges in the SEND system the council has prioritised investment in providing more special school places throughout the county by developing our SEND Capital Investment Programme.
"The proposal to expand Springwater School is one of a number of significant investments we have planned to further improve the facilities and school places available for children with SEND.”
Cllr Wilkinson added:
“Providing more places within the county will mean more children will access the education they need within their own community, alongside their peers, close to their family and friends and reduce the need for placements outside the area.”
The proposals will be subject to a five-week consultation, which is scheduled to begin on Friday, September 6.
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