Leicestershire Council Unveils £30m SEND School Plan, Targeting 2028 Opening
Leicestershire County Council has announced plans to build a £30 million specialist school for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) on land in Husbands Bosworth, just off Kilworth Road. The facility, which could accommodate more than 250 pupils, is expected to open as early as 2028, pending planning approval.
The council says the school will provide “essential” placements for SEND pupils in the county, particularly in the Harborough district, where demand has outpaced supply. Tim Browne, the council’s assistant director of education, inclusion and additional needs, said the area faces a “real shortfall” in specialist provision, with 415 children currently waiting for a suitable placement across Leicestershire.
“We’ve got a rise in demand for special needs places that’s national and that’s also reflected locally,” Browne said. “It’s very clear the Harborough district has a real shortfall, so it’s important we start looking at increasing capacity in that particular area.”
The announcement comes as local authorities across England grapple with rising SEND costs and a shortage of state-funded specialist schools. Many families in south Leicestershire currently have to travel long distances for appropriate education, or rely on independent providers or out-of-county placements — an expensive and often disruptive option. Browne noted that each independent placement costs the council nearly £70,000 per year, compared with between £23,000 and £30,000 for a council-run specialist school. “The school would absolutely pay for itself very quickly,” he said, despite the £30m upfront cost to taxpayers.
The proposed school is designed to include dining halls, music studios, drama spaces, and extensive playing fields with multi-use games areas and parking, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The council is working toward a September 2028 opening date, which Browne described as an “ambitious target.”
The development is part of a broader push by Leicestershire County Council to expand SEND capacity and reduce reliance on costly independent placements. The authority had previously warned that spiraling SEND costs could create a “mission impossible” for local budgets.
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Related: Council announces plan for new SEND school | Council warns of SEND costs 'mission impossible' | Leicestershire County Council | Local Democracy Reporting Service