STUDENTS with special educational needs are set to move to a new school twice the size of their current one.

The new alternative provision secondary school is being planned by Keys Co-operative Academy Trust, and would have double the capacity of its current base in Heybridge.

Heybridge Co-operative Academy, part of Keys Co-operative Academy Trust, is an all-through alternative provision school currently offering 135 places for primary and secondary aged students in mid-Essex.

Its existing base in Heybridge has a capacity of just 60 which means many have to be taught away from the school.

But after Essex County Council pledged to increase the school’s capacity to 140 by building a new site on land to the rear of Chipping Hill Primary School, students will be offered standard full time provision with the new building in Witham.

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It is intended the primary school will remain unchanged.

The trust says its current school building was constructed more than 100 years ago and despite best efforts to maintain high standards the building is not fit for the needs of even a 120-place alternative provision school.

It doesn't have a kitchen and pupils are also taught in small numbers in small spaces.

However, there is a demand for special school places in Essex, especially for Social, Emotional and Mental Health pupils and it plans to continue to use the Heybridge site for a smaller cohort of SEND pupils.

A spokesman for the academy trust, which has started a consultation into the move, said: “In order to achieve our vision, we strive for each of our academies to be outstanding providers of education, helping young people to succeed in their lives through learning and personal development.

“Delivering outstanding teaching and learning is supported by the environments we work in, and therefore we are very pleased the county council has embarked on a programme of improving our alternative provision estate.

"This includes a proposal to expand and relocate our school, Heybridge Co-operative Academy, to a new site in Witham.”

In preparation for this potential move Heybridge Co-operative Academy will be renamed Mid-Essex Co-operative Academy in September 2022.