A new special, free school, that caters for the needs of pupils with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), has been given the green light for Darlington.
The successful bid from Darlington Borough Council was announced on Thursday 2nd March by the Department for Education. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/transformational-reform-begins-for-children-and-young-people-with-send
The new special free school will provide 48 full time places for pupils aged 11-19 with autism, who would benefit from a specific environment tailored to their needs and staff dedicated to a holistic approach.
The capital funding for the new school will be provided from the Government’s Free School Programme. As a new-build site it is proposed to use this opportunity to create a multi- agency hub to develop a centre of excellence to support ASD needs in Darlington.
Councillor Jon Clarke, Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet member for children and young people, said: “I’m delighted the Department for Education has approved our bid to establish a Special Free School in Darlington. There is a growing need for specialist places in the town and having a purpose built new special school will mean more families will be able to access the right support nearer to where they live and continue their education within their local community.”
Work will now begin to identify an appropriate sponsor to run the school. A final decision on the successful sponsor will rest with the Secretary of State for Education.