New £16.4m special school moves step closer

Plans for a new special school in Wolverhampton have been given the green light, a month after £16.4m in funding was approved by the city council.

Broadmeadow Special School planned for Pendeford would replace the existing Broadmeadow School at West Park, increasing capacity from 75 to 120 places and extending provision from ages three to 11 years to three to 19.

The project, still to be signed off by the Department for Education, was designed to help meet growing demand for places within the city, the council said.

"The decision recognises the clear need for additional specialist provision in Wolverhampton and brings us a step closer to delivering this fantastic new school," said councillor Jacqui Coogan.

The new school would feature spacious classrooms designed to support structured learning, alongside facilities to enhance communication, sensory development and independence, the authority added.

If approved by the government, the school will be built on the council's former Priory Green offices on Whitburn Close, with the existing buildings demolished.

Georgetta Holloway, chief executive of Central Learning Partnership Trust which would run the provision, said the council's decision was a "significant milestone".

"This investment demonstrates our shared ambition to create exceptional educational provision that meets local needs and helps every young person achieve their full potential."

Coogan said the project had been "many years in the making", and the authority looked forward to securing final government approval to turn the "plans into reality for children, young people and families across Wolverhampton".

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