Children with special education needs are at the heart of bold new plans to build a brand new, replacement school in Plymouth – with the aim of creating additional local places that children need to learn, grow and thrive close to home.
At next week’s Cabinet meeting, an update will be provided on the council’s SEND Sufficiency Capital Programme and the work to meet rising demand and ensure children can access high quality specialist education without long journeys away from their families, friends and community.
The need could not be clearer. The number of children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) in Plymouth has risen sharply – from 2,756 in September 2024 to 3,654 in January 2026, an increase of 898 children in just 18 months. While most children with EHCPs are supported locally, 405 children and young people are currently educated outside the city, including 261 in independent special schools because local capacity simply doesn’t meet demand.
Councillor Sally Cresswell, Cabinet Member for Education and Schools, said: “Every child deserves the chance to learn in their own community, surrounded by the people who know and love them. This new school is exactly the kind of initiative required to meet the Government’s vision as set out in the White Paper- it will create vital specialist places, reduce travel for families, and ensure our children get the very best support right here at home. We’re determined to make this happen.”
The proposal being discussed at Cabinet next week includes progressing the mandate to build a new special school to replace Mill Ford School, ensuring modern facilities, expanded capacity and improved specialist provision for future generations.
The Council currently has £12.9 million remaining in high needs capital, but the cost of the new school is expected to exceed this, meaning securing additional capital funding is essential to deliver the project.
Councillor Cresswell added: “This is about ambition for Plymouth. It’s about giving every child the best start in life, where they are achieving and thriving, ensuring families feel supported, valued and heard. A new SEND school is a game changer and we are absolutely committed to delivering it.”
Next steps include designing the detailed proposal, confirming the site as part of the Mill Ford rebuild programme and bringing forward a full proposal.
The changes we are making to SEND provision in Plymouth marks a significant and exciting milestone for Plymouth’s SEND transformation and the delivery of the Government’s National SEND Reforms in the White Paper published last month, putting children first and building the strong, inclusive education system the City needs for the future.
