A TOTAL of £385,000 has been spent on a project which will establish a special school provision of up to 50 places for primary school pupils - after it was revealed the council were set to face a shortfall with the amount of places they currently have for children with additional needs.

Barnsley is facing a shortage of 51 primary school SEND places for September 2025, with more anticipated during the 2025/26 academic year due to the delay in the special free school initiative.

A report states that discussions have taken place with local education leaders to identify suitable sites within the borough, with the Mill Primary Academy identified as offering the most appropriate potential for the size and type of provision required.

It said: “It is proposed that with some ground and building works, The Mill site could be adapted to accommodate both the existing school and an additional primary special school/satellite.

“This involves groundworks and reconfiguration on the existing primary site alongside boundary adjustments, within the overall footprint of the existing school.

“The initial ground and building works, provisionally scheduled to take place over the summer holidays 2025, are essential to allow the project to establish new provision to proceed.

“These works form phase one of the proposal.

” Phase two represents the approach we will take to appoint a provider and develop the provision over the course of the 2025/26 academic year.

“Should the majority of the work be unable to proceed over the summer 2025, this will likely result in the new provision not being in place for September 2026, thereby exacerbating existing placement pressures.”

Phase one of the work began last month and phase two is subject to an agreement with the Department for Education.

The report added: “We propose to seek approval from the Department for Education to establish a new special primary school, of up to 50 places, and for the development of this proposal to be progressed.

“The creation of a new special primary school is essential to address the increasing demand for special school places within the borough.

“This initiative aligns with the council’s vision to enhance educational opportunities and improve outcomes for children with SEND.”