New SEN school for 250 pupils planned in city

Almost £40m is to be allocated to fund the construction of a brand new primary school in Liverpool to support children with special educational needs (SEN).

Pupils at the existing Princes School are spread across four sites which have been described as unsuitable and in "poor condition", including the main one in Toxteth.

Liverpool City Council's cabinet is to be asked to back the £37m investment into the purpose-built facility for 250 pupils on long-derelict land off Princess Drive in West Derby.

More than 30 classrooms would be created on one level with hygiene rooms and hoist access, along with two hydrotherapy pools and rebound and multisensory rooms.

The city council said the current main locations for SEN pupils were "not suited to the complex needs of the pupils or the growing demand of the service needs to provide sufficient places within the city for pupils with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)".

In Liverpool, pupils with an EHCP has risen by 50% in the four years since 2020, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The case for a new school was made several years ago and needs to be delivered "as quickly as possible", according to the city's own analysis.

Currently along with the main Princes School site on Selborne Street and Picton site, there are an additional two cohorts being managed on satellite sites on Dingle Lane and Overbury Street.

The Toxteth and Picton sites are described as "nearing the end of their functional life" but remain safe to use for the time being.

The proposed new site on Colwell Road was formerly a primary school but has remained vacant since its demolition in 2006.

The funding is expected to be agreed when the cabinet meet on Tuesday.

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