New special school for dyslexic pupils to open

The new school is due to open in January

A new special school for pupils with dyslexia is to open in January after a similar school shut earlier this year.

The Levels School in Ashcott, near Glastonbury, has received the green light from the Department for Education (DfE), allowing it to open.

Shapwick School, in Bridgwater, shut in March after it received an "inadequate" Ofsted rating and ran out of money.

The new school was set up by several teachers who lost their jobs when Shapwick closed.

Head teacher Caroline Cook said the new independent specialist day school would provide education for some pupils who were at Shapwick, but also for students from further afield.

'Look forward'

"Everyone is ecstatic and also excited about the future," she said.

"Now we can look forward to what the school can become."

Several pupils have been schooled at home since Shapwick School shut.

Caroline Cook said staff were "excited about the future"

Parents will be able to pay privately to send their children to the school, or they can apply for education, health and care plan (EHCP) funding through their local authority. Staff will be paid through the school.

It will be open for eight to 16-years-olds, for students with dyslexia and learning differences associated with the condition.

"When we were made redundant in March, as a group of teachers we couldn't get jobs until September because schools were locked down," Ms Cook added.

'Wonderful and incredible'

"So we decided to put our time to good use and set up our own school."

One mother, whose 13-year-old son will attend the new school, described the news as "wonderful and incredible".

"To know that they'll be able to meet his needs, for us it's life changing," she said.

"All the staff have really impressed us with how they are able to make links with the young people, and how they are tailoring everything to the individual."