New SEND school and centre of excellence approved

A new school for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has been approved.

The centre of excellence in Glastonbury Road, Bury St Edmunds will be funded by the Department for Education (DfE).

It will become a hub for SEND guidance and provide 90 places for students aged 14 to 19.

Dr Nikos Savvas from Eastern Education Group, which will run the site, said he was incredibly proud to be leading a project that would deliver "meaningful impact for families now and years to come".

"As a group, we have already led two SEND schools to improved Ofsted ratings, demonstrating our commitment to high standards, strong leadership and continuous improvement," he said.

"We will bring that same ambition and care to this new provision.

"By establishing a centre of excellence and outreach hub, we will work alongside mainstream schools to strengthen inclusive practice and ensure more young people can thrive within their local communities."

The new school will share a site with Chalk Hill School, which is due to open in Easter.

Chalk Hill will occupy the former Horringer Middle School building, while the second school will be built by the DfE on a field on the site, both run by Eastern Education Group.

It comes just after a similar SEND school in Saxmundham was announced, and both schools have been agreed by Suffolk County Council in line with its SEND sufficiency plans.

Cabinet member for education Andrew Reid said the new school was a "very welcome step forward for SEND provision".

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