Bury St Edmunds to Gain New SEND School

Ahead of the Government’s publishing of the SEND White Paper, a new SEND school and centre of excellence for Bury St Edmunds was approved.

This is welcome news for Suffolk. Bury St Edmunds has seen a sharp rise in the number of children requiring specialist support, with existing schools full and many families facing long journeys to access appropriate provision.

It will become a hub for SEND guidance and provide 90 places for students aged 14 to 19. This will target a shortage of specialist secondary and post‑16 provision in Suffolk.

With the number of children holding EHCPs rising year on year, Suffolk, like many areas, has faced significant pressure on specialist places, making this investment both timely and essential.

Schools that are able to provide this kind of specialist support are so important for our children - ensuring that they receive the right support in a modern, purpose‑built environment is crucial for a solid foundation to every child’s life.

I know how much SEND support means to my constituents. With this positive step forward in improving provision in Bury St Edmunds, I hope that we can continue to transform the system and make it work well for every child in this country, because that is what they deserve.