Bedale Mowbray special needs school 'close to capacity'

Mowbray special needs school in Bedale also has a sister site in Ripon

Plans to expand a school for children with special educational needs (SEN) in North Yorkshire which is "close to full capacity" have been submitted.

Mowbray School in Bedale supports children with SEN from age three to 16.

Three new classrooms would allow an "essential service" for children with autism, dyspraxia, speech and moderate learning difficulties to grow, the application said.

The catchment area for the school is 1,400 sq miles (3,626 sq km).

Hambleton District Council, which has applied for planning consent to expand the North Yorkshire County Council-run school, said demand for SEN provision in the county was "soaring", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

The number of children with education, health and care plans was set to rise by nearly a quarter by 2028, the authority added.

'Alleviate pressure'

The application said: "Mowbray is close to full capacity, with technology classrooms currently doubling-up as teaching space for other subjects.

"The addition of three purpose-built classrooms would alleviate much of the pressure on the school."

Last year, Mowbray's satellite base in Ripon took on over 40 new SEN pupils after North Yorkshire County Council investment to prevent families having to travel out of the county for specialist education places.

Each week, according to the planning documents, the Bedale site takes SEN pupils from Ripon, "and the intention is to increase the number of permanent pupils at the school in the coming year".

Children with special educational needs are travelling to North Yorkshire from as far away as Kent to receive a suitable education for their specific needs.

The county council previously announced the construction of a school for up to 100 SEN pupils aged three to 19 in Selby.

If the Bedale application is approved, it is thought the work could be completed during the summer.