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Sign in or register for an accountA new special school for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Speech and Learning Difficulties, and Communication and Interaction Difficulties is to be built in Salford.
The Department for Education is inviting applications from proposer groups to open a new special free school in Salford.
Applicant groups can access the key school specification information, along with the full ‘How to Apply’ guidance, on GOV.UK. You should read these documents carefully before completing mandatory pre-registration.
The school specification document sets out the key factual details about the proposed school, including the proposed size, SEND designation, age range, suggested top-up funding, and proposed site.
This document provides applicant groups with additional contextual information provided by Salford City Council, which includes:
Download the Salford Special Free School - Contextual information document (Adobe PDF format, 100kb)
The secretary of State for Education has approved our application to establish a special free school in Salford. Updated guidance has confirmed that the assessment of Trust applications to run the new specialist free school will now be a DfE centrally run process, with local authority involvement.
The proposed new special school, which will be funded and constructed by the DfE will cater for boys and girls aged four to 11 with a range of needs including autism, speech and learning, and communication and interaction. It is envisaged that the new school will provide up to 150 special school places at full capacity.
We will be holding engagement events for Trusts and Academies on Monday 5 June and Wednesday 7 June so that proposer groups can find out more about:
Proposer group engagement events details:
There will be a presentation about the proposed new school, the application process and key milestones, followed by opportunities for questions and answers. There will also be an opportunity to visit the proposed school site after the in-person event.
If you would like to find out more about how to apply to open the new special free school, please email wendy.robinson@salford.gov.uk to attend one of the below events. Please let us know the name of your organisation, which event you wish to attend, who will attend and their roles. You will then be sent the venue details or the link to the online event.
If you would like to be kept informed about the engagement events, please email wendy.robinson@salford.gov.uk to register your interest.