First look at £30m SEND school near Harborough which could open by 2028 and home 250 pupils

Leicestershire County Council is looking to build and open a new £30 million Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) school on land in Husbands Bosworth, just off Kilworth Road.

It is a move they hope will help plug the gap for SEND students in the county who are in desperate need of a placement.

The plans, which are still in the early stages, are hoping to help parents in south Leicestershire which currently has no SEND provision. This means many parents are forced to transport young people considerable distances to a suitable setting or access Independent SEND providers or out-of-county provisions.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), assistant director of education, inclusion and additional needs at Leicestershire County Council, Tim Browne, said the county only had nine special schools in Leicestershire.

He said: “Every district except Harborough has one. We’ve got a rise in demand for special needs places that’s national and that’s also reflected locally.

“It’s very clear the Harborough district has a real shortfall so it’s important we start looking at increasing capacity in that particular area”.

Mr Browne confirmed that there are currently 415 children waiting for specialist school placements within Leicestershire, and the new school “would go a long way” to help plug the gap.

He confirmed that the new school, which has yet to have planning permission submitted, “would absolutely pay for itself very quickly” despite the £30m price tag for taxpayers.

He also revealed that independent specialist placements for SEND children cost Leicestershire County Council nearly £70,000 a year, whereas specialist schools maintained and run by the county council cost between £23,000 and £30,000.

Children who require an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) would see these costs normally covered by the county council with the new school hoping to allow for more placements but also ease the burden on the taxpayer.

The school will cater for children between the ages of four and 16, with Mr Browne confirming that the school will also have places for sixth-form students as well.

A breakdown of the figures shows it would cater for:

• 126 primary school students
• 90 secondary
• 36 post-16 students

Mr Browne said the school is just one piece of the jigsaw in tackling SEND school places across Leicestershire, including upscaling mainstream schools to help accommodate SEND children as part of planned SEND reform.

The school will include dining halls, music studios, drama spaces, and “ample” playing fields, including multi-use games areas and parking.

Mr Browne says the council hopes to open the school by September 2028, which he admits is an “ambitious target” but told the LDRS he believes it can be achieved.

A consultation is being launched on June 3 at the Millennium Pavilion, in Husbands Bosworth, from 3pm to 7pm for residents to find out more and ask questions on the plans.

Councillor Charles Pugsley, cabinet member for children and family services, said: “We’re in great need of specialist school places for Leicestershire children and many will know the strain we’re currently under.

“This is why we want to build a new, purpose-built school in the south of the county, where we’ve identified the most need.

"We’re just at the start of this process, but our ambitions are clear on providing these places.”