£3m extra for new special school

In July 2023, cabinet approved £16.5 million for a new 200-place special school in Gloucester for children and young people aged 4 to 16. Following completion of the detailed design works, to make sure the school has the full range of facilities needed for its pupils and to meet new regulations, including those around biodiversity, the total budget of the new special school will increase to £19.5 million, subject to cabinet approval. 

The designs, which were given planning consent in November 2024, include enhanced facilities like small group and individual therapy spaces, specialist therapeutic play spaces and hygiene suites. These improvements will mean the school can better meet the needs of local children with increasingly complex needs, reducing the need for placements in specialist independent settings or at schools out of county.

The school has also been designed to achieve net zero carbon emissions once it is running, by generating its own green energy through air source heat pumps and solar panels.

Cllr Philip Robinson, cabinet member for education and bus transport, said, “Our investment of over £30 million in special schools shows our commitment to making sure that more children can access the education they need at a school close to home. This new special school is a major part of the investment, and it is crucial that the design of the building meets the complex needs of our local children.”

To learn more about the new special school, including visual plans and answers to some of the frequently asked questions, visit www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/new-special-school-gloucester