(UK) Leic: Council approves $40M for special school; "desperate need"

June 4, 2026, First look at £30m specialist Leicestershire school which could open by 2028 - Leicestershire Live

A new specialist school in Leicestershire could open as soon as 2028 with officials hoping it will help provide essential placements for children.

Leicestershire County Council is looking to build and open a new £30 million [$40M] Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) school on land in Husbands Bosworth, just off Kilworth Road.

It is a move they hope will help plug the gap for SEND students in the county who are in desperate need of a placement. 

The plans, which are still in the early stages, are hoping to help parents in South Leicestershire which currently has no SEND provision. This means many parents are forced to transport young people considerable distances to a suitable setting or access independent SEND providers or out-of-county provisions. . . .

Mr Browne confirmed that there are currently 415 children waiting for specialist school placements within Leicestershire, and the new school "would go a long way" to help plug the gap. . . .

He also revealed that independent specialist placements for SEND children cost Leicestershire County Council nearly £70,000 [$94K] a year, whereas specialist schools maintained and run by the county council cost between £23,000 [$31K] and £30,000 [$40K]. . . .

The school will cater for children between the ages of four and 16, with Mr Browne confirming that the school will also have places for sixth-form students. . . .

Mr Browne said the school is just one piece of the jigsaw in tackling SEND school places across Leicestershire, including upscaling mainstream schools to help accommodate SEND children as part of planned SEND reform.

Mr Browne says the council hopes to open the school by September 2028, which he admits is an "ambitious target" but told the LDRS he believes it can be achieved. . . .

Councillor Charles Pugsley, cabinet member for children's, said: "We're in great need of specialist school places for Leicestershire children and many will know the strain we're currently under.