Cornwall’s new school for children with special educational needs will open in January 2022.

The special school, to be based near Bodmin, will provide 65 places for children aged from five to 16, and aims to become a centre of educational excellence for pupils who have a significant level of Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs.

In a statement released yesterday the Department for Education confirmed the Special Partnership Trust has been chosen to work with Cornwall Council to deliver the facility.

Portfolio Holder for Children, Health and Well Being and Liskeard Councillor Sally Hawken, said: ’I welcome this announcement from the Government which will help us to move on to the next stage of making this new free school a reality.

’We successfully bid for the funding in 2019 and since then we have been working hard behind the scenes, engaging with residents, parents, education colleagues and planning officers. We now look forward to working with the Special Partnership Trust to turn these plans into reality.’

All pupils who attend the school will be placed by Cornwall Council and have education, health and care (EHC) plans. Council staff are already working closely with the Department for Education on the design for a smart, purpose-built new school building.

Sally added: ’Cornwall is geographically challenging and families who need this special provision can often find themselves travelling long distances to get the right kind of support. This new building will enable us to fill a gap in our current services - which will be a huge benefit to children and their families in Cornwall.’