Extra places for Redbridge special school in Fazakerley

Proposals for 30 extra places at a new £5m special school have been approved by Liverpool City Council.

Redbridge High Community Special School, Fazakerley, will support 120 pupils when it moves from Sherwoods Lane to Long Lane in 2015.

It is part of the authority's plan to cater for a 25% increase in the number of pupils with learning difficulties in the last three years.

The council said the rise was due to medical advances and better diagnosis.

The new building in Long Lane will be funded by the Department for Education's Priority Schools Building Programme.

Also located at the site will be a new £5m home for Bank View High Special School, which will support up to 150 pupils.

'Increases in demand'

The council has other projects planned to cater for the increase in demand of students with special needs.

They are part of the Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson's £169m investment plan to improve schools.

Aigburth High School is being rebuilt and Millstead Primary Special School is being relocated from Wavertree to Everton.

There are also classroom extensions planned at two special schools in Woolton, Palmerston School and Abbot's Lea.

They will be funded by capital funding, receipts from the sale of surplus school sites and council resources.

Councillor Jane Corbett, cabinet member for education, said the authority was replacing worn out facilities and replacing them with better quality buildings.

"We are seeing increases in demand for places due to amazing advances in medicine and care and better diagnosis of conditions.

"Our children with the most needs deserve the best teaching in quality buildings. It will enable our incredible staff to teach pupils the full curriculum which is hugely important to make sure they achieve their full potential."