Plan for new autism school in Harrogate boosted by ‘significant support’ and demand for specialist education

The new £3.5 million development is planned for the site of the former Woodfield Community Primary School in Harrogate, and the proposals will be considered at a meeting next week.

The primary school closed at the end of December after years of falling pupil numbers and an “inadequate” rating by Ofsted.

Members of North Yorkshire Council will meet on next Tuesday (22 August) to discuss potentially upgrading the site, enabling it to cater for up to 80 pupils with autism aged between 11 and 19.

A six-week consultation from 12 June to 24 July clearly reflected “significant support” for the new school with 90 out of the 105 responses – a total of 86 per cent – highlighting the need for additional autism provision in North Yorkshire.

Those in support also commented that the site would be “ideal” for providing a safe learning environment, while others said the special school is not only “absolutely necessary” for the children and the whole community, but would provide vital jobs for people with specialist experience and opportunities for career growth for others.

Councillor Annabel Wilkinson, Executive Member for Education, Learning and Skills at North Yorkshire Council, said: “I’m pleased with the positive response we’ve received from the consultation.

“The new facility would help meet a rising demand for special school places in Harrogate, Knaresborough, Ripon and the surrounding area.

“Currently there are 432 children with the primary need of autism accessing existing North Yorkshire special schools and we are committed to providing further support.

“If given the go-head, the redeveloped school would provide children and families with a more local offer of provision that is currently unavailable without significant travel.”

The consultation came as children and young people in the county with special education needs and disabilities (SEND) are set to benefit from a £20 million investment, which includes the creation of new places in special schools and mainstream special educational needs Resource Bases.

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

As this trend continues, it is estimated that an additional capacity of 350 special education needs and disabilities school places will be developed over the next three to five years as a consequence of North Yorkshire Council’s investment to meet need.

The investment will enable the council to find highly suitable placements for more young people closer to their local communities and deliver better value for children and families from the county, including improving existing provision to create modern, fit-for-purpose facilities suited to a wider range of pupil needs.

The target opening date for the school is September next year.

There are no planned changes to the community library and children’s centre on the same site.