(UK) Little Clacton: Special school planned; 18 staff to 36 students

Aug 3, 2025, Standard: Plans submitted for new north Essex special needs school 

SE England

Plans have been unveiled to build a new school in Little Clacton for children with special needs. 

Tendring Council has received an application for a school in Harwich Road. 

According to the blueprints, the two-storey building will offer 36 places for secondary school age pupils. 

If approved, the school will be run by Compass Community Schools.

Compass is an independent provider of specialist education for students with complex learning needs. 

The new school would offer an enclosed play area and forest school, with a wildflower meadow. 

The application says: “The small school will provide the opportunity for children to be educated and supported in small groups by specialist teachers in an appropriate setting, seeking to maximise their learning outcomes.  

“The curriculum will be supported by a range of therapists as required - for example speech and language, and vocational activities.  

“The intention is that the school will help meet both the existing and future needs for specialist secondary education provision in the area.  

“This would reduce the number of students needing to travel ’out of area’ to find an appropriate educational environment and reduce overcrowding in existing settings.  

“The proposal will, therefore, improve the learning outcomes of students in the area who require specialist education.” 

Student numbers are set at 36, but the application says the school could start out with fewer numbers and increase “gradually over time to its full capacity”. 

A total of 18 members of staff are currently anticipated to work on site.  . . .

The new school would include 21 car parking spaces, as well as bicycle parking and two electric vehicle charging points, with additional cabling for eight more points for future use. 

In 2019, Tendring Council approved plans for a care home, which were never realised. 

Residents can view the application and comment on the council's planning portal.