Funding approved for new SEND school

Hundreds of families are set to benefit after funding was approved for a new specialist SEND free school.

The purpose-built Trym Valley Academy in Bristol will provide 164 specialist places for children and young people with complex special educational needs and disabilities.

The project is part of the government's £3bn SEND reform programme and supports the city council's wider plans to increase specialist provision.

Christine Townsend, chair of the Children and Young People Committee, said: "Securing DfE funding for Trym Valley Academy is a huge step forward."

The funding approval, announced on 12 December, will help to deliver the council's target of 569 additional specialist places in response to growing demand.

Trym Valley Academy will offer targeted education alongside therapeutic services, including occupational therapy, speech and language support and cognitive behavioural therapy.

The council says this will help reduce exclusions and reliance on costly independent placements outside the area.

The school will feature a flexible curriculum, access to GCSEs and other qualifications, and modern indoor and outdoor facilities.

The spaces are expected to be available for wider community use outside school hours.

Enable Trust, a specialist SEND and alternative provision trust currently operating three schools in South Gloucestershire, has been appointed to manage the academy.

Its approach focuses on supporting children and young people to live independently within their communities while promoting wellbeing and academic achievement.

Andrew Buckton, chief executive of Enable Trust, said: "We continue to be thrilled to be working in partnership with Bristol City Council to plan, design and soon open Trym Valley Academy.

"The school will provide an exceptional, holistic learning environment for children and young people with complex learning difficulties."

The proposed site for the school is the former Elmfield School for the Deaf on Greystoke Avenue in Southmead.

Government approval for the new special free school was originally granted in March 2023, with the latest announcement reflecting the continued rise in the number of children and young people requiring additional SEND support.

Follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.