Special needs school base to be created in town

A £1m school campus will be created in Staffordshire as part of plans to boost provision for students with special educational needs and disabilities (Send).

The ground floor of the SP2 office building in Tipping Street, Stafford, will be converted into a satellite site for students aged 16 to 19 from Walton Hall Academy, near Eccleshall.

The campus will include six classrooms, toilets, a room for the school nurse, two intervention rooms, a kitchen, a dining room and a reception area.

Julie Wood, the school's principal, said the campus was due to open later this year and described it as an "exciting development" for their pupils.

She said, while there were advantages to having their main school building in a rural area, it gave them challenges in the form of access to public transport and local amenities.

"We have been looking for ways to improve our provision and offer our students more choices and experiences that will prepare them for adulthood," she added.

"Our new base will enable us to provide our students with more opportunities to be part of the local community."

A county council spokesperson confirmed they were funding the £1m campus.

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