Transparency data

Local authority applications to open a special free school: 2022

Updated 26 March 2024

Applies to England

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/special-free-schools-local-authority-applications/local-authority-applications-to-open-a-special-free-school-2022

If a local authority appears more than once, this indicates that they have submitted more than one application.

Successful local authorities and approved trust

This list shows all the local authorities whose applications were successful for opening a new special free school in their area, the names of the approved trusts, and the proposed school names.

Local authority Name of approved trust Name of proposed school Proposed number of full time equivalent places Proposed age range Proposed SEND designation
Barnsley and Sheffield Ethos Academy Trust Inspire Academy 200 7 to 16 Autistic spectrum disorder
Bath and North East Somerset Three Ways School Green Ways Academy 120 4 to 19 Autistic spectrum disorder, severe learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties
Birmingham Open Thinking Partnership Frankley Hill School 400 4 to 19 Autistic spectrum disorder
Birmingham Wellspring Academy Trust Springwell Birmingham 120 14 to 19 Social and emotional mental health, autistic spectrum disorder
Blackpool The Sea View Trust Blackpool SEMH Free School 56 7 to 16 Social and emotional mental health
Bracknell Forest The Propeller Academy Trust Forest View Academy (Bracknell Forest ASD) 100 5 to 19 Autistic spectrum disorder
Bristol Enable Trust Bristol Specialist Provision 164 4 to 19 Autistic spectrum disorder, social and emotional mental health, severe learning difficulties, cognition and learning
Central Bedfordshire Oak Bank School Biggleswade SEMH Academy 130 5 to 19 Social and emotional mental health
Cheshire East Application process to be re-run   60 4 to 19 Autistic spectrum disorder
Cheshire East Application process to be re-run   60 4 to 19 Social and emotional mental health
Darlington The Education Village Academy Trust The Garden Village School 48 11 to 19 Autistic spectrum disorder
Devon Transforming Futures Multi-Academy Trust ACE Cranbrook 70 9 to 16 Autistic spectrum disorder, social and emotional mental health, cognition and learning, speech, language and communication
East Riding of Yorkshire The Education Alliance North Star School 120 5 to 19 Social and emotional mental health
Enfield SEARCH Education Trust The Orchard 96 4 to 11 Autistic spectrum disorder
Hampshire Solent Academies Trust Whiteley Academy 135 4 to 19 Severe learning difficulties
Hillingdon The Eden Academy Hillingdon Special Free School 180 4 to 19 Autistic spectrum disorder, moderate learning difficulties
Isle of Wight Application process to be re-run   75 9 to 16 Autistic spectrum disorder, social and emotional mental health
Leeds Ethos Academy Trust Aspire Academy 200 7 to 16 Social and emotional mental health
Leicestershire MacIntyre Academies Trust Achieve Academy 90 10 to 16 Communication and interaction, moderate learning difficulties, autistic spectrum disorder
Middlesbrough Horizons Specialist Academy Trust Fairfax Primary Academy 90 4 to 11 Autistic spectrum disorder, social and emotional mental health, speech, language and communication
North East Lincolnshire Wellspring Academy Trust Springwell Grimsby 150 8 to 19 Social and emotional mental health
North Yorkshire Wellspring Academy Trust Springwell Northallerton 120 8 to 16 Social and emotional mental health
Salford The Co-operative Academies Trust Co-op Academy Salford 150 4 to 11 Autistic spectrum disorder, communication and interaction, speech and learning difficulties
Somerset North Star Academy Trust North Star Wells 64 9 to 16 Social and emotional mental health, speech and language communication needs
South Tyneside Prosper Learning Trust South Tyneside Special Free School 56 4 to 11 Social and emotional mental health
Suffolk Unity Schools Partnership Unity SLD School 117 4 to 16 Severe learning difficulties
Surrey London South East Academies Trust Frimley Oak Academy 170 11 to 19 Social and emotional mental health
West Sussex The Beckmead Trust Beckmead Wealden Academy 130 4 to 18 Autistic spectrum disorder, social and emotional mental health
Wiltshire Brunel Academies Trust Bitham Park School 130 4 to 19 Social and emotional mental health
Windsor and Maidenhead Chiltern Way Academy Trust Chiltern Way Academy Windsor and Maidenhead 100 7 to 16 Social and emotional mental health
Wokingham Ascendancy Partnership Trust Strawberry Fields School 120 4 to 19 Moderate and severe learning difficulties
Wokingham Ascendancy Partnership Trust Rooks Nest School 120 4 to 19 Social and emotional mental health
Worcestershire MacIntyre Academies Trust Enterprise Academy 120 5 to 19 Autistic spectrum disorder

For schools in two local authorities, we will be re-running the application process to find a suitable trust.

Local authorities who applied

This list shows all the local authorities who submitted an application to open a new special free school in their area in 2022.

Lead local authority Type of special school
Bath and North East Somerset Autistic spectrum disorder, severe learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties
Bedfordshire Social and emotional mental health and additional complex needs
Birmingham Social and emotional mental health and autistic spectrum disorder
Birmingham Autistic spectrum disorder
Birmingham Autistic spectrum disorder
Blackpool Social and emotional mental health
Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole Autistic spectrum disorder
Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole Autistic spectrum disorder and social and emotional mental health
Bracknell Forest Autistic spectrum disorder
Bracknell Forest Social and emotional mental health
Bradford Autistic spectrum disorder, social and emotional mental health and communication and interaction needs
Bristol Social and emotional mental health, speech and language, cognition and learning needs, autism spectrum disorder and severe learning difficulties
Buckinghamshire Social and emotional health
Bury Autistic spectrum disorder and speech and language communication needs
Calderdale General learning difficulties and social and emotional mental health
Cheshire East Autistic spectrum disorder
Cheshire East Social and emotional mental health
Cumbria Autistic spectrum disorder
Cumbria Autistic spectrum disorder
Darlington Autistic spectrum disorder
Devon Cognition and learning needs, autistic spectrum disorder, social and emotional mental health, speech and language communication needs
Ealing Severe learning difficulties and autistic spectrum disorder
East Riding of Yorkshire Social and emotional mental heath
East Riding of Yorkshire Social and emotional mental health and speech and language communication needs
Enfield Autistic spectrum disorder
Enfield Autistic spectrum disorder
Essex Severe learning difficulties
Essex Severe learning difficulties
Gloucestershire Moderate learning difficulties
Gloucestershire Moderate learning difficulties
Greenwich Autistic spectrum disorder and severe/complex learning difficulties
Hampshire Severe learning difficulties
Hampshire Social and emotional mental health
Harrow Autistic spectrum disorder, severe learning difficulties
Havering Autistic spectrum disorder, social and emotional mental health, severe learning difficulties
Herefordshire Autistic spectrum disorder and severe learning difficulties
Hertfordshire Severe learning difficulties
Hillingdon Autistic spectrum disorder and moderate learning difficulties
Isle of Wight Autistic spectrum disorder and social and emotional mental health
Lambeth Autistic spectrum disorder, social and emotional mental health, speech and language communication needs
Leeds Social and emotional mental health
Leicester Autistic spectrum disorder and speech and language communication needs
Leicestershire Communication and interaction
Lincolnshire Social and emotional mental health
Luton Social and emotional mental health
Manchester Autistic spectrum disorder, severe learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties
Manchester Autistic spectrum disorder, severe learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties
Middlesborough Autistic spectrum disorder, social and emotional mental health, speech and language communication needs
Milton Keynes Autistic spectrum disorder
Newcastle-upon-Tyne Autistic spectrum disorder
Newham Autistic spectrum disorder
North East Lincolnshire Social and emotional mental health
North Lincolnshire Social and emotional mental health, communication and interaction needs
North Yorkshire Social and emotional mental health
North Northamptonshire Autistic spectrum disorder and communication and interaction needs
Nottinghamshire Autistic spectrum disorder and social and emotional mental health
Oxfordshire Severe learning difficulties, profound and multiple learning difficulties
Oxfordshire Social and emotional mental health
Portsmouth Autistic spectrum disorder, severe learning difficulties, communication and interaction needs, profound and multiple learning difficulties
Redbridge Autistic spectrum disorder, speech and language communication needs, moderate learning difficulties
Rochdale Social and emotional mental health
Salford Autistic spectrum disorder, severe learning difficulties, communication and interaction needs
Sandwell Severe learning difficulties, multi-sensory impairment, profound and multiple learning difficulties
Sheffield Autistic spectrum disorder
Solihull Severe learning difficulties
Somerset Social and emotional mental health and speech and language communication needs
South Tyneside Social and emotional mental health
Southampton Social and emotional mental health needs
Stoke-on-Trent Autistic spectrum disorder
Suffolk Severe learning difficulties
Suffolk Autistic spectrum disorder and social and emotional mental health
Surrey Social and emotional mental health
Surrey Social and emotional mental health
Swindon Autistic spectrum disorder, severe learning difficulties, communication and interaction needs
Swindon Autistic spectrum disorder, severe learning difficulties and communication and interaction needs
Trafford Autistic spectrum disorder and social and emotional mental health
Wakefield Autistic spectrum disorder
Walsall Autistic spectrum disorder, severe learning difficulties, speech and language communication needs, communication and interaction needs, moderate learning difficulties, profound and multiple difficulties
West Sussex Autistic spectrum disorder and social and emotional mental health
West Sussex Autistic spectrum disorder and social and emotional mental health
Wiltshire Social and emotional mental health
Windsor and Maidenhead Social and emotional mental health
Wokingham Severe and moderate learning difficulties
Wokingham Social and emotional mental health
Worcestershire Autistic spectrum disorder
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