New school for children and teenagers with autism planned to open in Harrogate

Woodfield closed in December 2022 following an inadequate rating by Ofsted and years of falling pupil numbers.

Its closure led to speculation from parents and local residents in Bilton about what would happen to the site with some fearing it would be sold off for housing and demolished.

But according to a council report that will go before senior councillors this week, a new school could open there next year to help meet a rising demand for special needs school places in Harrogate as well as in Knaresborough and Ripon.

The school would have a capacity of around 80 pupils with autism and would serve an age range of between 11 and 19.

The report says the Woodfield site could be ideal for a new special school due to its layout as well as its large outdoor learning area for children to play.

The report says: “Within North Yorkshire there are a significant number of children who need a formal curriculum, delivered by autism specialists in a small, low stress environment.

“By reducing the social and environmental demands, children who are autistic can achieve success, both academically and emotionally.

"The site at Woodfield offers the opportunity to create this provision and give this group of children access to suitable peer groups and academic challenge in order to reach their aspirations.

“This would provide children and families with a more local offer of provision, than is currently unavailable without significant travel, and/or requiring high-cost provision from the independent and non-maintained special sector.”

If the council’s two Conservative executive members for education approve moving forward with the plans a six-week public consultation will be launched next month.

The council hopes the school could be open in time for the new term in September 2024.

North Yorkshire Council has been under significant pressure to deliver SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) provision in recent years.

There are currently eight council-maintained special schools and two special academies in North Yorkshire, including Springwater School in Starbeck and Mowbray School in Ripon.

But since 2016, the number of children and young people in North Yorkshire with identified SEND and an EHCP (education, health and care plan) has increased by over 110 per cent.

There are now over 4,500 children in the county with an EHCP but there is not enough places at council-maintained special schools to acommodate them all.

Almost 600 children are forced to go to schools outside of the county or to independent and non-maintained schools which costs the council millions of pounds every year.