A bid to open one of the country's first special schools via the Free School route in Peterborough has been approved by the Department for Education.

Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust put together a bid with Peterborough City Council's Children's Services to open a new special school on the same site as the recently-approved City of Peterborough Academy on Reeves Way, Eastfield, Peterborough.

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Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove MP announced that the application for the City of Peterborough Special Academy has been approved and has moved to the next stage of the process. It is one of only three Free School special schools approved nationally by the Department for Education.

The academy will cater for 90 pupils aged four to 18 years, the majority of whom will be children with autism. It will share the same site as the City of Peterborough Academy which will also be run by Greenwood Dale Foundation Trust. Staff would work at both the mainstream school and the special school and share facilities including catering, medical equipment, sports facilities and extra curricular activities. It is expected the special school will open in September 2012.

(CD)