(UK) Surrey: New $6.9M autism school for 16-19yo.s approved

Mar 25, 2025, Surrey Live: New Surrey college [ages 16-19] building for autistic students approved with £5.3m [$6.9M] investment

SE England

A significant amount of college places for students with special educational needs will be created

Up to 60 college places for students with autism will be created at a Surrey college. The county council green-lit £5.3m to help build a dedicated specialist educational needs unit for young people aged 16-19 years at Brooklands Technical College in Weybridge.

Currently, the college caters for 30 students with autism but the new SEND block will provide space for up to 60 pupils. The plans form part of Surrey’s mission to expand the state sector for special education to around 5,760 places by 2032.

Clare Curran, Cabinet member for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning, emphasised that expanding high-quality specialist education will allow Surrey students with additional needs to be educated closer to home. She also highlighted students' integration into their local communities.

She said: “Expansion of Good or Outstanding specialist educational provision ensures Surrey resident students with additional needs and disabilities who require specialist provision can be educated closer to home and included in their local communities.”

By creating more school and college places in the state system, the county council hopes to save significant amounts of money compared to the private sector. Around £30,000 [$39K] per student per year could be saved, according to council documents, meaning the investment scheme could be paid back to the council in three years.