A trust based in South Yorkshire has been selected to operate a new state-funded school designed for children with special educational needs and disabilities in Calderdale, with an anticipated opening in the 2028-29 academic year.
Nexus Multi Academy Trust will manage the new institution at the former Threeways location in Ovenden, situated in the northern part of Halifax.
The site previously served as Ovenden Secondary School and later The Ridings School, before subsequently accommodating community organisations until Calderdale Council shut the premises due to health and safety concerns.
The former Labour administration had allocated approximately £20 million for a 200-pupil special educational needs and disabilities facility catering to both primary and secondary aged children.
In July, the newly elected Reform UK administration at the council confirmed its commitment to proceeding with the school development.
According to the council, insufficient school placements exist throughout Calderdale for young people with special educational needs, mirroring challenges faced by other regions across the nation.
Consequently, some pupils have been compelled to attend establishments outside the borough or enrol at independent specialist providers, resulting in extended travel times that place strain on families and represent poor value for public expenditure.
Both the local authority and the Government Department for Education sanctioned the development of the new specialist free school to enable more young people to receive education nearer to their homes.
The new facility will accommodate pupils aged from four to 16 years who have various requirements.
Students will have the opportunity to complete both their primary and secondary education within a single establishment as they mature, receiving support through academic and vocational programmes, therapeutic interventions and activities designed to broaden their experiences, according to the council.
Officers collaborated with the Department for Education throughout a comprehensive selection procedure to determine which multi-academy trust would establish and manage the new school.
Nexus was selected with Department for Education approval owing to its proven history of delivering support to pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.
Every current school within the trust received either good or outstanding ratings under the previous Ofsted inspection framework.
Calderdale Council’s Cabinet member responsible for Children and Young People’s Services, Councillor Tim Holden, explained that establishing the new specialist free school represents one of several approaches the authority is taking to assist greater numbers of children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The provision would offer high-quality schooling within the community, equipped with all necessary support to enable pupils to excel academically and prepare effectively for adult life.
The institution would complement and build upon the existing specialist services already present in Calderdale, while also forming part of the outreach assistance available to mainstream schools for pupils with special educational needs.
The council anticipated collaborating with Nexus and other educational establishments throughout the borough to maintain support for young people’s development.
Warren Carratt, Chief Executive Officer of Nexus Multi Academy Trust, expressed pride and gratitude regarding the appointment.
The trust possesses considerable expertise in collaboratively developing specialist educational provision, and the forthcoming school would represent the fifth new special school the organisation has established during the past decade.
The trust looked forward to partnering with existing quality providers operating within Calderdale, engaging with children and families, and cooperating with the local authority to bring the new institution into existence.
Upcoming phases involve the council and Nexus collaborating on the design of teaching spaces and outdoor areas, with consultation exercises involving neighbouring schools, families and the wider community scheduled for 2027, according to the council.
During construction, the project intends to provide backing for local employment and skill development, expanding opportunities for residents, the authority reported.
Separately from this council-led initiative, through multi-million pound Government funding, a free school for alternative provision will be constructed in partnership with the council and Delta Academies Trust, also in north Halifax, offering approximately 125 placements for primary and secondary aged children.
The announcement was made during the spring, with the precise funding figure still to be confirmed.
That establishment would assist children and young people aged between eight and 16 who require supplementary support, providing brief-term placements that offer focused assistance and the greatest chance of success upon their return to their regular educational setting, the council indicated at the time of the original announcement.