Bowman Academy is given the greenlight
Shepshed school will cater for 50 SEND children
A NEW school to be based on the site of St Botolph’s Primary School in Shepshed has been approved to open by the Department for Education.
The Bowman Academy, which is being set up by the Community Inclusive Trust (CIT) is due to open in September 2023 and joins 36 other alternative provision and special free schools announced to open, creating up to 3,000 new school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), providing tailored support and specialist equipment.
St Botolph’s Primary School is due to be relocated to the adjacent Iveshead site in September 2022.
Peter Bell, Chief Executive Officer of CIT, said: “The school will cater for 50 children with SEMH (Social, Emotional and Mental Health) needs from across Leicestershire and will work in close partnership with other Leicestershire schools and Leicestershire County Council, as well as its sister CIT School, Foxfields Academy in Blaby.”
Bowman Academy is one of a number of new special schools and provisions in mainstream schools being created by Leicestershire County Council as part of its broader plans which involve investing up to £30m to develop new provisions for children and young people with special educational needs in the county.
Deborah Taylor, Leicestershire County Council cabinet member for children and families, said: “We are delighted that the Department for
Education is supporting the building of this wonderful new school and that the Community Inclusive Trust have been appointed to run the school when it opens in September 2023.
“It will be of great benefit to children and families here in Leicestershire and is part of our wider plan to ensure SEND provision is available to families in the county, as close to their homes as possible. We look forward to seeing the building develop and welcoming children to the new school.”
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “Now more than ever we need to make sure we are putting our most disadvantaged and vulnerable children first, including those with complex needs.
“We need to be more ambitious for these children, which is why we are delivering on this Government’s manifesto commitment to deliver more school places for children with complex Special Educational Needs.
“This will make a real difference, giving these young people the opportunity they deserve for tailored support in school that responds to their individual needs, making them confident learners and engaged students.
“At the same time, I also want to transform the experience of children who have been permanently excluded or are disengaged and at risk of being removed from the classroom.
“These 37 new schools, adding to the network of excellent free schools around the country, will help level up opportunities for every single child, from any backgrounds, so they can all receive a world-class education.”