Plans to increase Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) provision in Nottingham have been approved by the Department for Education (DfE) this week.
The proposals would see the expansion of existing Council-run Rosehill Special School, into Waterside Primary School, redeveloping it into a special school.
The Council developed a SEND Sufficiency strategy in 2023, in response to a significant increase in demand for special school places across Nottingham. As part of the strategy, plans were already underway to build a new school-expansion to Rosehill Special School, at a cost of around £10m, expected to be completed in 2027.
Now, the Council will reroute that funding to instead redevelop the Waterside building into a state-of-the-art special school facility that could be open as early as September 2026.
Councillor Neghat Khan, Leader of Nottingham City Council said;
“Waterside Primary School was originally built to serve the new Trent Basin housing development, however lower than initially anticipated numbers of primary aged children living within the area meant low school place applications, with the DfE subsequently confirming they would not be funding the school.
“This presented a really interesting opportunity for the Council, with the potential to use the existing – unused – Waterside building as a special school.”
The repurposing of the Waterside building, instead of building an entirely new school offers the Council a saving of over £8m, with costs to reconfigure Waterside anticipated to be around £2m.
The initiative would enable the Council to rapidly expand its capacity to support children with complex needs, ensuring they receive high-quality education and care within their local community, as well as reducing the reliance on costly external independent provision.
The expansion would offer up to an additional 60 school spaces for children and young people aged 4–19, with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and a diagnosis of autism, in a state-of-the-art facility specialising in support for children and young people with Autism Spectrum Condition needs, to help them reach their full potential.
“We know there is huge demand for SEND places, and that demand is only increasing with time,” Cllr Khan continued.
“In Nottingham, the percentage of special school pupils requiring support for autism conditions is 43.8%, compared to a national average of 34.5%, so being able to expand Rosehill – which is rated Outstanding by Ofsted – without the need to build an entirely new facility is excellent news.
“Our priority is to ensure that all children and young people have access to the education and support they need to thrive. And while the original plans for Waterside Primary School have evolved, this initiative demonstrates our commitment to finding innovative solutions that address the evolving needs of our residents, particularly those requiring specialised support.
“We have been able to find a solution with minimal cost implications, that can be delivered relatively quickly, and will make a significant difference in the lives of many families,” she said.
Cheryl Steele, Headteacher at Rosehill School added;
“This is fabulous news for Nottingham’s children and families. It clearly demonstrates that we are a city focussed on enabling every child and young person to achieve the best possible outcomes in learning, social and emotional wellbeing to fulfil their potential and participate fully in society.
“Our school’s motto ‘Caring about Learning, Learning about Caring’ underpins every aspect of our work; whether that is providing a rich and diverse curriculum, extending opportunities outside of school in sport, the arts, cultural engagement and work experience or its focus on autism research and best practice to ensure the best possible outcomes for learners in preparing for adulthood.
“Alongside the council, school leaders, Governors are delighted that our shared vision to create school places where there is need, and ensure Government funding is targeted to where it is most needed has been achieved.”
The Council will now proceed with detailed planning and consultation with the community and other stakeholders to ensure the successful transformation of the Waterside building into a leading SEND facility.