Members of the City of Wolverhampton Council's Cabinet will be asked to approve funding for the project when they meet next week. The proposals are designed to help meet growing demand for specialist school places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The proposals would see the creation of a modern, purpose-built school on the site of the council's former Priory Green offices in Pendeford, which are currently being decommissioned.

The new school would feature safe, spacious classrooms designed to support calm, structured learning, alongside specialist facilities to enhance communication, sensory development and independence. Accessible indoor and outdoor spaces would help ensure all pupils can learn and thrive.

The new facility would replace the existing Broadmeadow Special School at West Park. Capacity would increase from 75 to 120 places, and the age range would be extended from 3 to 11 years to 3 to 19 years.

Cabinet, which meets next Wednesday (22 July, 2026), will be asked to approve a total investment of £16.4 million to relocate and expand the school, alongside a funding agreement with Central Learning Partnership Trust, and the transfer and leasing arrangements needed to enable the development to take place.

Separately, the council is expected to determine a planning application from the Trust and architects Astley Partnership for the new school in the coming weeks. The proposed expansion would also need final approval from the Department for Education before it could proceed.

Georgetta Holloway OBE, Chief Executive of the Central Learning Partnership Trust, said: "We are delighted to see proposals for a new, purpose-built Broadmeadow School being brought forward.

"I am particularly pleased that a suitable site has now been identified at Priory Green and that, working closely with the council, we have been able to develop plans for a new SEND through-school with the capacity to accommodate a significant increase in specialist places for children and young people.

"This collaborative approach reflects our shared commitment to securing the very best facilities and opportunities for current and future pupils. As a Trust, we are also proposing to make a significant financial contribution towards the overall cost of the project, demonstrating our commitment to investing in the long-term success of the school and the wider community.

"If approved, this joint investment would represent an important step forward in ensuring that more children and young people with additional needs can access high-quality specialist provision within their local community.”

Councillor Jacqui Coogan, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, said: "As a council, we are determined to create a more inclusive city where every child and young person can achieve their full potential.

"Demand for specialist school places has risen significantly in recent years, and we are working hard to increase provision across Wolverhampton to ensure more children can access the support they need closer to home.

“We recently approved the permanent expansion of Green Park School, creating an additional 27 places by 2027, and are progressing other schemes to either increase provision within special schools or create new resource hubs in mainstream settings.

"These proposals for a new, purpose-built Broadmeadow Special School would create modern facilities capable of supporting dozens more children and young people with SEND, while also bringing a vacant site in Pendeford back into use.

"The new school will offer all-age provision, reducing the need for children to move schools at the end of Year 6, which is particularly important for children with complex needs. The new facilities would also be much better suited to supporting children and young people with autism, severe learning difficulties, speech, language and communication needs, and physical disabilities.

“While there are still a number of approvals required before the project can move forward – including agreement from the Department for Education -confirmation of funding and consideration of the planning application are both important steps in the process.”