PLANS to open a new school in Bury have been announced.

The specialist school free school is set to open in September 2022 at an as yet undisclosed location.

It comes after the Shaw Education Trust, which also runs Unsworth Academy, was chosen by the Department for Education (DfE) to develop specialist schooling in the borough.

Jo Morgan, CEO of Shaw Education Trust, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Bury Council to provide pro-active support and appropriate provision for learners in the borough.

“We will extend our work with those parents and young people who require specialist learning, to enable them to access inclusive, high quality schooling.”

Shaw Education Trust currently runs 12 specialist schools and says it aims to to provide students with complex needs access to tailored support and specialist equipment.

Regional Director for the Trust, Phillip Harrison, added: “This project in Bury allows us the opportunity to work hand-in-hand with students, parents, the Local Authority and the Clinical Commissioning Group to create an incredible school.

“We are able to utilise the skills and knowledge of our awesome staff team from across the Trust to shape a school which will support the young people to have happy and fulfilled lives.”

The DfE has this week announced that it is to create 3,000 new school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

More than 400 of these places will be in the North West, at six new schools, including for children with SEMH, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Severe Learning Difficulty and speech, Language and Communication Needs.

Children and Families Minister Vicky Ford said: “It is vital that we unlock opportunities and improve education for all children, including those who do not attend mainstream school.

"The investment in new special schools and Alternative Provision underlines our commitment to levelling up in education by supporting some of our most vulnerable children.”