New SEND school spaces to be created in Swindon with £22m funding

Swindon will get a new SEND school and 66 new places at existing schools

A school for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) will be built in Swindon with new funding.

Swindon Borough Council will spend £22.4m over the next four years to build the school, and also create 66 new places at four existing schools.

The extra SEND spaces in the primary schools will be available in September 2024 and 2025.

The new SEND school will have space for 100 children and is expected to be ready by 2028.

Funding from the SEND Capital Grant, via the Department for Education, will be used to expand the specialist provision already at Eldene Primary School, creating an extra 10 places.

A 24-place unit will be created at Badbury Park Primary School, while current special schools Nyland Primary and St Luke's Academy will receive funding to create an additional 16 places at both schools.

'Incredibly important'

The council's cabinet also agreed to borrow £13.2m to build a new SEND school.

Council officers are currently reviewing available sites, including options to redevelop existing buildings.

Councillor Adorabelle Amaral-Shaikh, Swindon Borough Council's cabinet member for education, said: "It is incredibly important that we have enough specialist provision for the children and young people in the borough who need it.

"Swindon is a fast-expanding town and we know we will need more capacity as we continue to grow."

Councillor Jim Robbins, leader of Swindon Borough Council, added: "This investment in our SEND education is great news for parents and sends a clear signal that we want to provide the very best educational facilities for our children and young people.

"It is also very much in keeping with our mission to reduce inequality as we want everyone in the Borough to have the very best start in life that they can."