On Wednesday 5th March 2025, Gloucestershire County Council's Cabinet approved the allocation of £20 million to establish a new special school for children with Complex Learning Difficulties (CLD), including autism and associated communication and interaction difficulties.
Specialist and alternative provision
Gloucestershire County Council has a duty to ensure there are enough school places within the county. Some children and young people have complex special educational needs that cannot easily be met within a mainstream school setting. When we don't have enough special school places in Gloucestershire to meet demand so some children attend special schools out of county or go to independent schools to have their needs met. This often involves increased journey times and additional costs.
This page will outline the projects that are being undertaken to increase the number of special school places available in the county.
On Wednesday 5th March 2025, Gloucestershire County Council's Cabinet approved the allocation of £20 million to establish a new special school for children with Complex Learning Difficulties (CLD), including autism and associated communication and interaction difficulties.
On Wednesday 19 July, cabinet approved £16.5 million to set up a new special school for children with moderate and additional learning difficulties.
On Wednesday 19 July, cabinet approved £16.5 million to set up a new special school for children with moderate and additional learning difficulties.
In order to meet a growing demand for special school places we intend to establish a new primary aged special school for children with Moderate and Additional Learning Difficulties (MALD) to open in September 2023.
In order to meet a growing demand for special school places we intend to establish a new primary aged special school for children with Moderate and Additional Learning Difficulties (MALD) to open in September 2023.
In September 2022 work was completed to establish a new 80-place special school for children and young people with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. The school has opened in Brockworth, within reasonable travelling distance of Gloucester, Cheltenham and many other parts of the county.
In September 2022 work was completed to establish a new 80-place special school for children and young people with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. The school has opened in Brockworth, within reasonable travelling distance of Gloucester, Cheltenham and many other parts of the county.
There is an increasing demand in Gloucestershire for special school places, which means these children sometimes have to go to schools out of the county or to independent schools when there aren’t places available locally.
The county council, with the support of Heart of the Forest School, want to expand this provision to make sure more children have the opportunity to go to school close to where they live and to ensure the places are available where there is the most demand.
There is an increasing demand in Gloucestershire for special school places, which means these children sometimes have to go to schools out of the county or to independent schools when there aren’t places available locally.
The county council, with the support of Heart of the Forest School, want to expand this provision to make sure more children have the opportunity to go to school close to where they live and to ensure the places are available where there is the most demand.
The county council, with the support of Alderman Knight School, expanded the school to make sure more children have the opportunity to go to school close to where they live and to ensure the places are available where there is the most demand.
The county council, with the support of Alderman Knight School, expanded the school to make sure more children have the opportunity to go to school close to where they live and to ensure the places are available where there is the most demand.
Work was completed in August 2021 to provide the children and young people who attend Belmont special school, a popular school, with some additional classroom accommodation.
Work was completed in August 2021 to provide the children and young people who attend Belmont special school, a popular school, with some additional classroom accommodation.
Gloucestershire’s Alternative Provision Transformation Project was launched in June 2020 and supports Gloucestershire’s Education Inclusion Strategy.
Gloucestershire’s Alternative Provision Transformation Project was launched in June 2020 and supports Gloucestershire’s Education Inclusion Strategy.
Harbour House is an exciting development for the county which has been developed by Gloucestershire College. The development will provide specialist education for young people with severe learning difficulties, supporting them to achieve their full potential. There was an information evening held at The Milestone School where details were provided to parent/guardians. Further events are planned for September 2021, prior to the launch of Harbour House.
Harbour House is an exciting development for the county which has been developed by Gloucestershire College. The development will provide specialist education for young people with severe learning difficulties, supporting them to achieve their full potential. There was an information evening held at The Milestone School where details were provided to parent/guardians. Further events are planned for September 2021, prior to the launch of Harbour House.