New private school for children with autism opening in Market Harborough
A new school specifically for children with autism and communication differences is set to open in Market Harborough next month.
The former council offices, on Northampton Road, have been transformed into the Lady Byron School, a special education centre to teach secondary and Key Stage 4 pupils.
The current Lady Byron School in Fleckney will focus on younger students.
When the school officially opens on September 3, there will initially be 35 students starting, with some having already visited the site for transition activities ahead of the start of the academic year.
The Lady Byron School is a registered GCSE exam centre, meaning the pupils can still access mainstream qualifications.
There are also other pathways like Functional Skills, ASDAN and NCFE qualifications to make sure each child can have their own route through education.
Caroline England, school development lead, said: “It is incredibly exciting to see The Lady Byron School reach this next stage.
"When the school first opened in Fleckney, it was born from seeing first-hand just how difficult and lengthy the journey to finding the right education could be for some young people and their families. Market Harborough means we can now extend that support to more children and young people.”
The school will also have a maximum of five students per classroom and a staff-to-pupil ratio of 1:3.
Caroline added: “Although we are growing, we are determined not to lose what makes Lady Byron special. Small classes, strong relationships and really knowing the individual young person are fundamental to our approach.
“We don't want to create a large specialist institution; we want to create small communities where young people can thrive.”