Guidance

Local authority specifications

Updated 9 May 2024

Applies to England

We are now inviting applications from proposer groups to open new schools in these areas. Find out how to apply to open a special free school.

Contact the relevant local authority for more information about:

• the local context in their area
• their SEND strategy
• the per-pupil revenue funding they would expect to pay
• engagement events

Cambridgeshire

Gamlingay

	Specification
Local authority contact	Clare Cook, 0-25 Education Officer, SEND Place Planning Email: clare.cook@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Regional director contact	Jonathan Duff, Regional Director for East of England Email: RG.EOE@education.gov.uk
SEN designation	Social, emotional and mental health
Local authorities committed to commissioning places	Cambridgeshire County Council
Number of places	60
Per-pupil revenue funding	£10,000 per FTE pupil
Age range	11 to 16
Gender	co-educational
Type of placements offered	full-time
Proposed site	We’re progressing the site identified in the local authority’s application: Green End, Gamlingay, Sandy, SG19 3LE
Local context	Cambridgeshire local context
Trust development statement	Trust development statement

This table shows the number of places the local authority proposes for each year group at the point of opening until the school is full.

Year group	Year of opening	+1	+2	+3	+4	+5	+6
Nursery	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Reception	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Key stage 1 (years 1 to 2)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Key stage 2 (years 3 to 6)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Key stage 3 (years 7 to 9)	20	30	36	36	36	36	36
Key stage 4 (years 10 to 11)	10	15	24	24	24	24	24
16 to 19	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Totals	30	45	60	60	60	60	60

March

	Specification
Local authority contact	Clare Cook, 0-25 Education Officer, SEND Place Planning Email: clare.cook@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Regional director contact	Jonathan Duff, Regional Director for East of England Email: RG.EOE@education.gov.uk
SEN designation	Specific learning difficulty; moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; speech, language and communication needs; hearing impairment; vision impairment; multi-sensory impairment; physical disability; and autistic spectrum disorder
Local authorities committed to commissioning places	Cambridgeshire County Council
Number of places	210
Per-pupil revenue funding	£10,000 per FTE pupil
Age range	2 to 19
Gender	co-educational
Type of placements offered	full-time
Proposed site	We’re progressing the site identified in the local authority’s application: land adjacent to Kingswood Road, March, PE15 9RT
Local context	Cambridgeshire local context
Trust development statement	Trust development statement

This table shows the number of places the local authority proposes for each year group at the point of opening until the school is full.

Year group	Year of opening	+1	+2	+3	+4	+5	+6
Nursery	5	5	5	5	5	5	5
Reception	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
Key stage 1 (years 1 to 2)	20	22	24	26	28	30	31
Key stage 2 (years 3 to 6)	40	44	48	52	56	60	61
Key stage 3 (years 7 to 9)	30	33	36	39	42	45	46
Key stage 4 (years 10 to 11)	0	10	20	22	24	26	27
16 to 19	0	0	0	8	16	24	24
Totals	105	125	145	165	185	205	210

Kent

Swanley

	Specification
Local authority contact	Ian Watts, Area Education Officer, North Kent Email: ian.watts@kent.gov.uk Tel: 03000 414302
Regional director contact	Dame Kate Dethridge, Regional Director for South-East Email: RG.SE@education.gov.uk
SEN designation	Severe learning difficulty; physical disability; profound and multiple learning difficulty; autistic spectrum disorder
Local authorities committed to commissioning places	Kent County Council
Number of places	250
Per-pupil revenue funding	Severe learning difficulty: £17,336; physical disability: £24,582; profound and multiple learning difficulty: £24,582; autistic spectrum disorder: £20,065
Age range	4 to 19
Gender	co-educational
Type of placements offered	full-time
Proposed site	We’re progressing the site identified in the local authority’s application: Birchwood Community Primary School site, Russett Way, Swanley, Kent, BR8 7TP
Local context	Kent local context

This table shows the number of places the local authority proposes for each year group at the point of opening until the school is full.

Year group	Year of opening	+1	+2	+3	+4	+5	+6
Nursery	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Reception	9	18	18	18	18	18	18
Key stage 1 (years 1 to 2)	18	27	36	36	36	36	36
Key stage 2 (years 3 to 6)	36	54	72	72	72	72	72
Key stage 3 (years 7 to 9)	36	45	54	54	54	54	54
Key stage 4 (years 10 to 11)	0	18	27	36	36	36	36
16 to 19	0	17	26	34	34	34	34
Totals	99	179	233	250	250	250	250

Whitstable

	Specification
Local authority contact	Marisa White, Area Education Officer, East Kent Email: marisa.white@kent.gov.uk Tel: 03000 418794 or 07834841560
Regional director contact	Dame Kate Dethridge, Regional Director for South-East Email: RG.SE@education.gov.uk
SEN designation	Severe learning difficulty; physical disability; profound and multiple learning difficulty; and autistic spectrum disorder
Local authorities committed to commissioning places	Kent County Council
Number of places	120
Per-pupil revenue funding	Severe learning difficulty: £17,336; physical disability: £24,582; profound and multiple learning difficulty: £24,582; autistic spectrum disorder: £20,065
Age range	4 to 19
Gender	co-educational
Type of placements offered	full-time
Proposed site	We’re progressing the site identified in the local authority’s application: playing field, Church Street, Whitstable, CT5 1PF
Local context	Kent local context

This table shows the number of places the local authority proposes for each year group at the point of opening until the school is full.

Year group	Year of opening	+1	+2	+3	+4	+5	+6
Nursery	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Reception	9	9	9	9	9	9	9
Key stage 1 (years 1 to 2)	9	18	18	18	18	18	18
Key stage 2 (years 3 to 6)	18	27	36	36	36	36	36
Key stage 3 (years 7 to 9)	18	27	27	27	27	27	27
Key stage 4 (years 10 to 11)	0	9	18	18	18	18	18
16 to 19	0	0	8	12	12	12	12
Totals	54	90	116	120	120	120	120

Merton

	Specification
Local authority contact	Tom Procter, Head of Contracts and School Organisation Email: tom.procter@merton.gov.uk Tel: 020 8545 3306
Regional director contact	Claire Burton, Regional Director for London Email: RG.LONDON@education.gov.uk
SEN designation	Moderate learning difficulty; severe learning difficulty; autistic spectrum disorder; speech, language and communication needs
Local authorities committed to commissioning places	Merton Council
Number of places	120
Per-pupil revenue funding	Band 1: £20,000; band 2: £25,000; band 3: £35,000
Age range	4 to 16
Gender	co-educational
Type of placements offered	full-time
Proposed site	We’re working with the local authority to identify a suitable site
Local context	Merton local context

This table shows the number of places the local authority proposes for each year group at the point of opening until the school is full.

Year group	Year of opening	+1	+2	+3	+4	+5	+6
Nursery	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Reception	2	2	2	2	2	2	2
Key stage 1 (years 1 to 2)	6	8	10	10	10	10	10
Key stage 2 (years 3 to 6)	10	14	21	24	26	28	28
Key stage 3 (years 7 to 9)	17	24	36	42	46	48	48
Key stage 4 (years 10 to 11)	8	14	18	26	30	32	32
16 to 19	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Totals	43	62	87	104	114	120	120

Norfolk

Downham Market

	Specification
Local authority contact	Michael Bateman, Assistant Director, SEND, Strategic Improvement and Partnerships Email: Michael.bateman@norfolk.gov.uk
Regional director contact	Jonathan Duff, Regional Director for East of England Email: RG.EOE@education.gov.uk
SEN designation	Autistic spectrum disorder
Local authorities committed to commissioning places	Norfolk County Council
Number of places	100
Per-pupil revenue funding	£10,000 per place; top-up £3,000 to £30,000
Age range	5 to 19
Gender	co-educational
Type of placements offered	full-time
Proposed site	We’re progressing the site identified in the local authority’s application: Ryston End, Downham Market, PE38 9AX
Local context	Norfolk local context
Trust development statement	Trust development statement

This table shows the number of places that the local authority proposes for each year group at the point of opening until the school is full.

Year group	Year of opening	+1	+2	+3	+4	+5	+6
Nursery	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Reception	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Key stage 1 (years 1 to 2)	6	6	6	6	6	6	6
Key stage 2 (years 3 to 6)	24	24	24	24	24	24	24
Key stage 3 (years 7 to 9)	18	36	36	36	36	36	36
Key stage 4 (years 10 to 11)	0	6	18	24	24	24	24
16 to 19	0	0	0	5	10	10	10
Totals	48	72	84	95	100	100	100

Great Yarmouth

	Specification
Local authority contact	Michael Bateman, Assistant Director, SEND, Strategic Improvement and Partnerships Email: Michael.bateman@norfolk.gov.uk
Regional director contact	Jonathan Duff, Regional Director for East of England Email: RG.EOE@education.gov.uk
SEN designation	Severe learning difficulty; profound and multiple learning difficulty; and moderate learning difficulty
Local authorities committed to commissioning places	Norfolk County Council
Number of places	170
Per-pupil revenue funding	£10,000 per place; top-up £3,000 to £30,000
Age range	3 to 19
Gender	co-educational
Type of placements offered	full-time
Proposed site	We’re progressing the site identified in the local authority’s application: Jellicoe Road, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR30 4HF
Local context	Norfolk local context
Trust development statement	Trust development statement

This table shows the number of places the local authority proposes for each year group at the point of opening until the school is full.

Year group	Year of opening	+1	+2	+3	+4	+5	+6
Nursery	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Reception	10	10	10	10	10	10	10
Key stage 1 (years 1 to 2)	10	10	10	10	10	10	10
Key stage 2 (years 3 to 6)	40	40	40	40	40	40	40
Key stage 3 (years 7 to 9)	10	20	54	54	54	54	54
Key stage 4 (years 10 to 11)	0	0	0	18	36	36	36
16 to 19	0	0	0	20	20	20	20
Totals	70	80	114	152	170	170	170