Kirklees Council has been granted planning permission for a new, purpose-built special school in Almondbury, Huddersfield, set to replace the existing Woodley School and College.

The facility will offer 180 places for children and young people aged 5 to 19 with complex autism, including a dedicated post-16 provision. It will be built on a new site in Fernside Avenue, designed by Frank Shaws Associates to provide a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment.

Specialist facilities will include sensory and immersive rooms, indoor and outdoor breakout areas, a forest school, food technology rooms, a post-16 café, and a life skills suite, all shaped with input from current Woodley students and staff, and based on Autism Education Trust best practice guidance.

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Planning consultancy Lichfields, based in Leeds, worked with the council to prepare and submit the application, supporting the design process to ensure it met local priorities and planning requirements.

Cllr Jane Rylah, Kirklees Council Cabinet Member for Education, said: "The new school will provide a tailored environment where pupils can thrive and reach their full potential. Woodley School delivers excellent education and support, and this new purpose-built facility will allow us to extend that offer to even more children and young people. I'm looking forward to seeing the build progress and the positive impact this investment will bring to families across Kirklees."

The new Woodley School and College is part of the council's wider transformation of SEND provision across the district with construction expected to begin next year.