Portsmouth special school academy wins funding

Image source, Google

Image caption, The new academy will be built alongside Redwood Park School

A new special school academy is to open in Portsmouth in 2020 after a successful bid for government funding.

The academy will teach 40 children with autism, social communication difficulties, associated challenging behaviour and sensory needs.

It will have eight junior places, 24 secondary and eight for post-16s.

Building is expected to start in 2018 on the Redwood Park Academy school site in Cosham, although the new school will be a stand-alone facility.

Portsmouth City Council and Hampshire County Council launched a joint bid for the funding to tackle a need for specialist provision.

Portsmouth education councillor Hannah Hockaday said the school would have a "massive impact on the availability and choice of school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities".