Specialist school to expand after land swap

Ravenscliffe High School is currently the only specialist secondary school in the district

More special educational needs (SEND) school places could become available in West Yorkshire under new council "land-swapping" plans.

Calderdale Council has a "shortfall in provisions" for children with additional needs, meaning students are forced to attend schools outside the district.

There is currently one one specialist secondary school in Calderdale, but it is located near empty council-owned land which could be transferred to the relevant department to build on.

A spokesperson said the local authority wanted all children to "achieve their best" so the transfer of land between council directorates was a necessary step to "allow expansion plans to progress".

Ravenscliffe High School, which provides support for young people aged between 11 and19, is split across two sites and it has been proposed that the campus at Spring Hall in Halifax could be expanded.

The council said planning permission was already in place.

Councillor Adam Wilkinson, from the council's children and young people's services, said: "Like many councils across the country, we continue to see increased demand for specialist school places in Calderdale."

He added: "We're working hard to meet this demand and increase the number of SEND places in the borough, including new provision as well as the expansion of existing providers.

The report will be considered at a council meeting of Calderdale Council's Cabinet on 1 September 16:00 BST.

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