Barrs Court Academy Trust has been selected to run the county’s new special school. The trust was selected by the Department for Education, in partnership with Herefordshire Council.

Herefordshire Council is one of only 14 councils across the country to be successful in its bid to create a new special free school, which will provide places for 50 young people aged 16 to 19 years old with severe and complex learning disabilities, including autism.

The school is scheduled to open in 2020 and is likely to be located close to Hereford Sixth Form College, Hereford College of Arts and Herefordshire and Ludlow College, which will enable students to benefit from a range of different facilities and contact with other Post 16 students.

The school will create a new centre of excellence for young people with special educational needs (SEN) and will:

• Provide high quality teaching and learning

• Offer high quality information, advice and guidance

• Provide a community facility outside of school hours

• Enable internships and work experience

• Support students in other educational facilities, including mainstream schools, colleges and training providers

• Provide a resource hub for staff working with SEN children and their families

Councillor Elissa Swinglehurst, Cabinet member for young people and children’s wellbeing, said: “We’re delighted with today’s announcement from the Department for Education, which is clear recognition of the council’s bid for a new SEN facility within the county.

“It’s fantastic news for children and families and will also bring much needed investment into Herefordshire, which otherwise would not have been available.

“I’m pleased that Barrs Court Academy Trust has been selected, it has a proven and successful record for providing high quality education and support to children with severe and complex learning disabilities, which it will soon be able to offer to our 16 to 19 year olds.

“Young people with special educational needs and disabilities often face a range of challenges leaving school and moving into adulthood.”

Lisa Appleton, Headteacher at Barrs Court Academy Trust, said: “Barrs Court Academy Trust is excited to be given the opportunity to lead on further developing and enriching the current high quality Post 16 SEN provision across Herefordshire.”