New special free school

From the section: Infant and primary schools

In this section:

New special free school

Following a successful application to the Department for Education (DfE), Solihull will be home to a new 150 place free school, providing vital support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The school will provide specialist spaces for pupils aged 11-19 whose needs cannot be met in mainstream education.

The proposed site is on Tanworth Lane, currently where Sans Souci is located. Please see the site boundary.

Interested academy trusts have submitted their application to the DfE explaining why they would like to run the school. These will be assessed over the Summer/Autumn.

Guidance and more information on how to apply can be found on the DfE website along with the specification for the Solihull school.

We will keep this page updated with information as work progresses.

If you have any questions about the proposals please email corplp@solihull.gov.uk

Where will the new special free school be located?

The Council’s preferred location is the site of its existing training facility Sans Souci, Tanworth Lane, Shirley. The existing building would be demolished, and a new school built.

This has been agreed in principle by the Department for Education (DfE), however it has not gone through the necessary planning process and planning permission has not yet been granted.

As part of the statutory process to open the school there will be a public consultation. This is likely to happen at the pre-opening phase once a trust has been identified.

When is Sans Souci going to close?

Sans Souci will close on 31 March 2025 to enable the development to happen.

When will the planning process start?

The Council is in discussions with DfE about who will construct the school, so once a decision has been reached the planning process can begin.

When is the new school due to open?

It is anticipated the school will open from September 2027, with a phased approach to fill places over five years.

Who will run the school?

The DfE will appoint an academy trust to run the school.

Interested trusts are invited to apply by Friday 19 July 2024. Interviews are due to take place in Autumn 2024.

We anticipate the successful trust will be announced in Spring 2025.

Solihull Council will be involved in the selection process alongside the DfE.

Who decides on the admissions criteria?

The trust running the school will decide on the admissions criteria. However, it will need to meet the specification that has been agreed by DfE through Solihull Council’s bid.

Our aim is that the school will accommodate 150 pupils from Year 7 to Year 14 with a severe learning disability or co-occurring needs.

What other support is available in the borough for children and young people with additional needs?

The special free school is part of the Council’s ambitious programme to cater for the needs of children and young people with additional needs.

It will provide an education for children and young people who:

  • have complex learning needs
  • have a significant learning disability with co-morbid needs including autism, cerebral palsy, sensory needs and social needs
  • are more likely to communicate through behaviour which can challenge or display anxiety/mainstream school refusal

Will the new site be able to handle the large number of vehicles safely, knowing that many students will use transport to access the provision?

Solihull Council has vast experience in managing projects such as these and understanding the need for safe drop off areas, one-way protocols and safe traffic management. The access to the site will be fully considered as part of the design process.

Will the Academy sponsor be able to influence the design of the building at all?

We are in a DfE process for this new build. However, our desire is to opt for the self-build option. Should this be available we may have far more say in the design of the build and would welcome the opportunity to work closely with the Academy sponsor.

 

What is the expected timeline for delivery of the build?

This is uncertain at the moment and the DfE will only be able to confirm this when we enter the pre-opening phase. However, our desire is that we aim for September 2027.

 

What will be the length of time for the lease?

The standard 125-year lease will apply.

Who undertakes the interview process?

The DfE will run the interview process but there will be a Solihull Council representative on the panel.