New £6m home for school

A new and expanded £6 million school for children with special needs is set to be built in Liverpool.

Millstead School – rated ‘outstanding’ by education watchdog Ofsted – caters for primary aged pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties, severe learning difficulties and autism. It will be able to accommodate 105 youngsters, up from its current roll number of 70.

It will move from its tired and outgrown existing building in the grounds of Olive Mount Hospital on Old Mill Lane in Wavertree to the former City Learning Centre and Campion School site on Prince Edwin Street in Everton.

The new building – which is due to open in September 2014 – will include a hydrotherapy pool and rooms where physiotherapy and sensory support will be offered to support pupils from not just Liverpool, but also the wider City Region.

Councillor Jane Corbett, Cabinet member for education, said: “It’s vital our children with the most complex needs get the best possible education.

“Millstead is already doing amazing work with young people and this was reflected in their recent Ofsted inspection.

“This new building will enable them to continue their teaching in much improved surroundings with better classrooms and a proper outdoor space.”

It forms part of the Liverpool School Investment Programme, in which Mayor Joe Anderson has pledged to deliver at least 12 new schools.

Headteacher Michelle Beard said: “We are all really excited at the prospect of moving into a brand new building.

“The new facilities will be absolutely fantastic and enable us to provide the best possible experiences for our pupils.”

Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, Cabinet member for regeneration, said: “This is a worthwhile investment in a much needed new facility for pupils at Millstead.”

The city council is expanding the number of special school places to cope with increased demand for places. Elsewhere in the city, Palmerston is getting a four classroom extension to provide a post-16 centre and enable it to take on a further 48 pupils, while an extra six classrooms are being built at Abbot’s Lea to support more youngsters with autism.

The Mayor’s Cabinet will be asked to approve the award of the construction contract to Willmott Dixon on Friday 5 July.

They have been set a target of making sure that 60 percent of local spend and employment is within Liverpool, and 70 percent from across the City Region. 

The Mayor’s School Investment Programme includes confirmed funding for the following new schools:

Notre Dame Catholic College (work underway)
Archbishop Beck Sports College
St John Bosco Arts College
Archbishop Blanch C of E High School
Holly Lodge Girls’ College
St Hilda’s C of E High School
St Francis Xavier’s College
St Julie’s Catholic High School
Bank View High School
Millstead
New Park Primary
Northway Primary
Aigburth High School
Palmerston Special School
Abbots Lea Special School
Redbridge High School

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