New Westbury SEND school gets green light

A new school for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities will be coming to Westbury, Wiltshire Council has confirmed.

The school, at Bitham Park, will provide 130 specialist places for pupils aged four to 19 with social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH).

Plans for the school were put on hold last year but following an announcement from the Department for Education (DfE) to create 50,000 specialist places nationwide, Wiltshire Council reviewed its proposals.

Councils with special or alternative provision (AP) free schools in the pipeline were given the option to continue with the original free school plan or take capital funding to create the same number of places through local provision.

Councillor Jon Hubbard, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, SEND, Education and Skills said, “We are excited to be moving ahead with a new special school in Westbury and expanding specialist places right across Wiltshire. This balanced and forward-looking approach will give children and young people with SEND even greater access to the support they need to thrive in their education, closer to the communities they call home.

“Our commitment to creating high quality, local SEND places has never been stronger. Together, these decisions reflect our long-term ambition to give every child the best possible start in life. We are incredibly grateful to our partners, families and education providers for working alongside us to shape a brighter future for SEND education in Wiltshire.”

Wiltshire Council will work with Brunel Academies Trust (BAT), which will provide education at the new school. The trust already runs several schools in Wiltshire and Swindon, including a SEMH school which opened in Melksham last year.

Jackie Fieldwick, CEO of BAT said, “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Wiltshire to deliver the Bitham Park SEMH Free School.

“Brunel is committed to working in collaboration with Wiltshire to increase much- needed local SEND places. Local provision for local children and families is vital in an effective and inclusive school system.

“We want our children to belong to their school and wider community and know that Wiltshire also share this vision. Brunel is proud to be part of a progressive local authority putting children first.”

The council will now not proceed with planned AP free schools in the north and south of Wiltshire and will instead invest the funding directly into expanding specialist places across the county.

Pictured: The school site