(UK) Bristol: 500 new SPED places to be added; number of SPED plans doubles

Mar 2, 2026, Bristol Post:  Over 500 new school places planned for Bristol for pupils with special needs | Bristol Live

More than 500 new school places are planned in Bristol by 2030 for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. Eight-four places have already been created and six major projects are planned over the next few years to create hundreds more places.

Recently the number of children with an education, health and care plan has more than doubled, rising from 2,193 in 2018 to 5,795 this year.  . . .

Bristol City Council is legally responsible for ensuring there are enough specialist school places, and is aiming to create 569 new places. An update on the programme will be given to councillors on the children and young people policy committee on Thursday, March 5.

A committee report said: “The number of children and young people with an EHC plan in Bristol has been increasing each year. Expanding in-city provision is a key lever for ensuring our children can be educated closer to their homes, achieving more economically efficient provision and meeting the council’s statutory duties.”

Six major projects are due to be completed from this summer until summer 2029 at Claremont School, Briarwood School, Elmfield Secondary School for Deaf Children, Henbury Court Academy, St Anne’s Infant School and Trym Valley Academy. Together these are expected to cost £53 million [$71M], excluding the new Trym Valley special school, as the government will fund this.