(UK) Kent: Council approves $9.6M to expand special school

Oct 2, 2025, Kent.gov: KCC greenlights investment to expand Nexus Foundation Special School

https://news.kent.gov.uk/articles/kcc-greenlights-investment-to-expand-nexus-foundation-special-school

Kent County Council (KCC) has approved a key decision to release more than £7.1 million [$9.6M] to support a special school’s expansion.

The money will go towards the construction of new purpose-built facilities at Nexus Foundation Special School in Tonbridge. This includes four general classrooms, a specialist science room, calm spaces, hygiene suites, and accessible toilets—all designed to meet the needs of pupils with profound, severe, and complex learning difficulties.

It marks a significant milestone in the council's commitment to improving education provision for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Ongoing work includes reviewing the special school offer to ensure it is appropriate to meet the needs of the most complex pupils.

It follows a previous decision in July 2024 when KCC commissioned the permanent expansion of the school across two phases of construction while increasing the number of places from 228 pupils to 330.

The first phase, which saw a designated dining area and staff accommodation areas built, is now complete. Phase two will ensure Nexus School can permanently accommodate more pupils and stop relying on temporary conversions of communal spaces.

The expansion will help to address the growing demand for SEND places across Kent as the county has seen a sharp rise in Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). The extra capacity at Nexus, which is the only special school of its kind in Tonbridge, is central to meeting this need.

The facilities have been carefully designed in line with Department for Education guidance to ensure the new spaces are not only functional, but tailored to the sensory and physical needs of pupils with SEND.

A planning application has been submitted and if approved, construction is set to start in the new year. It is hoped the new building will open within the 2026 academic year.