Free school for children with autism to be built in Malvern

The facility will be a free school, which means it is funded by the government but not run by the local authority.

This will give it more autonomy and mean it won’t have to stick to the national curriculum.

The school will provide 120 full-time places for pupils aged 5-19 with autism, who are able to engage with a mainstream curriculum with extra support and who would also benefit from a specific environment and staff dedicated to a holistic approach.

READ MORE: New FE college for students with autism coming to village near Malvern

It will also have a remit to provide outreach, which will focus on practical, specific strategies. 

Capital funding for the new school will come from the Government’s Free School Programme.

The Department for Education, which is funding 60 new special and Alternative Provision schools across the country, today announced a bid from Worcestershire County Council had been successful.

West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin, who has been calling for a new autism free school since 2017, said the new school would significantly reduce the number of council-funded car journeys to schools across the county.

The MP has met with parents to hear of the challenges of finding spaces at appropriate educational settings and has shared her concerns with the county council on several occasions.

MP Harriett Baldwin has been calling for an autism free school to be built in Malvern (Image: MP Harriett Baldwin)

She said: “This is wonderful news which I know will be welcomed by the parents who have reached out to me about the challenges of supporting their children with Autism.

“I’ve been supporting this project for many years, and I am over the moon that this project will be moving forward in Malvern but offering hope to many families across the county who will benefit from this major financial investment.”

Councillor Tracey Onslow, the county council’s cabinet member for education, said: “We know that more tailored facilities in Worcestershire for those with special educational needs are key to how we move things forward and improve provision here, so this is great news both now and as we look forward to the future.”

The new school will be located at Sunshine Children’s Centre in Poolbrook but it’s not yet known whether the current building will be repurposed or if a new one will be built.

The site is currently leased out to several providers who Worcestershire County Council will be working with to support the co-location or relocation of those services.

A final decision on who will run the new school will rest with the Secretary of State for Education.