School hopes to extend to create more Send places

The council wants to extend the school to accommodate 50 more pupils

A school could be extended to meet the growing demand for places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send).

Plans have been submitted by Cambridgeshire County Council for a two-storey extension to Highfield Littleport Academy, in Littleport.

The new teaching wing would increase pupil capacity from the current 144 places, to 194, and the plans also include hiring 27 new members of staff.

The council said there was "urgent demand" for Send school places in the area.

The school caters for pupils aged between two and 19, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

When it opened in 2019 it had been built to have enough space for 110 pupils, but but the school now has 144.

The new extension being considered will include space for both Key Stage 4 and post-16 group spaces, as well as sensory rooms and ancillary support accommodation.

In its plans, the council stated: "This teaching wing will provide an additional 50 places taking the total capacity to 194 places.

"This greatly increases the provision of special educational needs and disability pupil places in the county."