(UK) Denton: Special school proposed; 40-50 students/31 staff

July 27, 2025, Tameside Correspondent: New Denton SEND school proposed

Central England

A FORMER Denton primary school will be turned back into one for children with special education needs and/or disabilities (SEND) if planning permission is granted.

Jonathan Pain, of Devon-based Phoenix Schools (South) Limited, has applied to Tameside Council for permission to change what is now the Denton Centre, at Acre Street.

The authority sold what was Denton Central Primary School to the firm in February – not it has progressed with its plans.

And documents detail its aims, as well as extra safety measures it plans to put in place, stating: “The day school would be a specialist school providing schooling for circa 40-50 children aged 8-16 years old.

“The school would support children with special educational needs who are unable to attend mainstream local education authority schools.. . .

 “The proposed staffing structure would comprise a headteacher and admin, teachers/instructors and teaching assistants with a total of 31 staff. . . .

 “Notwithstanding the high staff to pupil ratio to ensure close supervision of pupils, if a pupil becomes stressed or anxious in a particular situation, there is a high risk that the pupil could attempt to escape from the school grounds if the existing boundary treatment remains in place.

“Whilst teachers and staff are highly trained to deal with such situations and can use some level of physical intervention, if the school grounds are surrounded by low level fencing, there is a high risk of that child attempting to climb the fence, putting themselves and staff at risk of injury.

“Based on the Applicant’s extensive experience of operating special education needs school, a minimum of 2.4 metre high fencing, or other boundary enclosure, is necessary to prevent children from breaching the site boundaries, with 3m preferrable in high risk areas.

“Therefore, the proposals include the installation of fencing around the playground at a height of 3m to ensure the safety of pupils.” . . .

Tameside Council’s Speaker’s Panel (Planning) committee will decide whether to grant or refuse permission.