The proposals – which are still subject to planning approval from the council and final agreement from the Department for Education – will help meet growing demand for specialist school places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
It would see the creation of a modern, purpose-built school on the site of the council’s former Priory Green offices in Pendeford, which are currently being decommissioned.
The new school would feature safe, spacious classrooms designed to support calm, structured learning, alongside specialist facilities to enhance communication, sensory development and independence. Accessible indoor and outdoor spaces would help ensure all pupils can learn and thrive.
The new facility would replace the existing Broadmeadow Special School at West Park. Capacity would increase from 75 to 120 places, and the age range would be extended from 3 to 11 years to 3 to 19 years.
Cabinet approved a total investment of £16.4 million to relocate and expand the school, alongside a funding agreement with Central Learning Partnership Trust, and the transfer and leasing arrangements needed to enable the development to take place
The council is expected to determine a planning application from the Trust and architects Astley Partnership for the new school in the coming weeks. The proposed expansion will also require final approval from the Department for Education before it can proceed.
Georgetta Holloway OBE, Chief Executive of the Central Learning Partnership Trust, said: “We are delighted to see the plans for a new, purpose-built Broadmeadow School finally coming to fruition, and I would like to place on record my sincere thanks to the officers of the council for their unwavering support throughout the project, and to the governors, staff and wider school community for their patience, commitment and perseverance over many years.
“We now look forward with great anticipation to the delivery of this exciting new school and to seeing pupils thrive in a modern, purpose-built environment designed to meet their needs. It is an investment in their future and for generations to come, one they richly deserve.”
Councillor Jacqui Coogan, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “I am delighted that Cabinet has approved this major investment in the future of Broadmeadow Special School and the children and young people it serves.
“Demand for specialist school places continues to grow and this new school will help ensure that more children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities can access the high-quality support they need.
“The new purpose-built facilities will provide a modern learning environment designed around the needs of pupils, while the expansion of places and the move to all-age provision will help support children and young people throughout their educational journey.
“This is a significant milestone for a project that has been many years in the making, and I would like to thank everyone involved for their commitment and support. We now look forward to progressing the remaining approvals needed to make these exciting plans a reality.”
