This decision is part of a wider strategy to expand specialist provision across Central Bedfordshire. The new provision will be delivered as a satellite of Larwood School, operated by Brighter Futures Educational Trust, and will offer up to 50 places for children with complex needs. The school is expected to welcome its first pupils in the 2025/26 academic year.
The long-term home for the school will be the former Pulloxhill Lower School site, a council-owned asset well-suited to educational use. To ensure no delay in meeting urgent demand, interim provision will be based at Beech Road in Dunstable while refurbishment works are carried out.
Councillor Steve Owen, Executive Member for Children and Families and Community Safety, said:
Demand for specialist provision is growing and we know families are looking for reassurance and action. This decision shows we’re listening and delivering.
While, in the long term, Pulloxhill will provide high-quality education for children with SEMH needs, closer to home, utilising the site in Dunstable will allow us to do that even sooner, so it’s a significant milestone in our broader plan to ensure every child with SEND can access the right support, in the right place, at the right time. And by repurposing an existing site, we’re also reducing reliance on expensive, out-of-area placements.
The approved proposal is expected to save us between £1.24 million and £2.6 million annually compared to the cost of independent placements, while also reducing transport costs and improving outcomes for children and families.
The Pulloxhill site will undergo phased refurbishment tailored to SEMH needs, including enhanced security, accessibility and suitable learning spaces. The Beech Road site, a former special school, has been assessed as suitable for temporary use and will be adapted to meet the needs of the new cohort.