At least 648 new school and SEND places have been created for Suffolk children and young people this academic year, including 243 specialist SEND places delivered through an £8.6 million investment in additional provision across the county.
The new capacity includes 405 mainstream school places and 243 additional SEND places.
The programme supports the council’s newly published strategic priorities, which includes a commitment to give children and young people the best possible start in life by ensuring they can access the right support at the right time and in the most appropriate educational setting. It also reflects the council’s ambition to strengthen local education provision and ensure that children and young people with additional needs can receive support closer to home wherever possible.
The new mainstream capacity includes the relocation and expansion of Lakenheath Primary School, providing an additional 105 primary places, alongside the expansion works at Stowmarket High School, which is delivering an extra 300 secondary places. Rising pupil demand in Lakenheath highlighted the need for additional school places to support a growing local population, while the Stowmarket expansion has been designed to meet rising demand for secondary education in the area due to increased housing growth in the town.
New accommodation at Mildenhall College Academy is also becoming available this September to support increased pupil numbers and a pupil admission number of 270 students per year group.
Work will also begin this month on further expansion projects at Ormiston Endeavour Academy and Thurston Primary School, which are expected to deliver an additional 510 places when completed in 2027.
Alongside this, Suffolk County Council has created a further 243 SEND places across special schools, specialist units attached to mainstream schools and small group provision. This is an investment of £8.6million. The programme will help more children and young people access the right support closer to home, providing greater stability for families and reducing the need for placements further from their communities.
Councillor Tony Gould, Suffolk County Council's Cabinet Member for Education and SEND, said:
“Ensuring there are enough good school places for Suffolk children and young people, including those with special educational needs and disabilities, is one of our most important responsibilities.
“These 648 additional places represent a significant investment in Suffolk’s future and support our commitment to giving children and young people the best possible start in life. They will help meet growing demand in our communities, support families and ensure more children and young people can attend a local school or access the specialist provision they need closer to home.
“We know demand for SEND provision continues to rise and we are determined to provide the right support at the right time. By expanding specialist provision and strengthening support available through mainstream schools, we are helping more children and young people access high-quality education in the setting that best meets their needs while remaining connected to their local communities.
“We’re investing in school buildings and specialist provision today while also planning for future growth, so that Suffolk’s education system remains strong, inclusive and able to support children and young people to thrive.”
Placement Details:
Mainstream school expansions (405 places)
- Lakenheath Primary School: relocation and expansion creating 105 additional primary places.
- Stowmarket High School: expansion delivering 300 additional secondary places.
- Mildenhall College Academy: new accommodation available from September 2026 supporting increased pupil numbers and a pupil admission number of 270 students per year group.
Additional SEND places (243 places)
Special schools (148 places)
- Churchill Special School: 10 additional places
- Hillside Special School: 8 additional places
- Riverwalk Special School: 5 additional places
- Sir Peter Hall School: 10 additional places
- The Bridge School: 45 additional places across all sites
- Warren School: 40 additional places through The Lodge provision
- Woodbridge Road Academy: 30 additional places
Specialist units attached to mainstream schools (59 places)
- Barnby & North Cove Primary School: 2 additional places
- Castle Manor Academy: 4 additional places
- Clements Primary Academy: 1 additional place
- Coupals Primary Academy: 18 new places (opening January 2027)
- Samuel Ward Academy: 18 new places
- Sybil Andrews Academy: 4 additional places
- The Dell Primary School: 12 new places
Small group provision (36 places)
- The Willows: 12 new places
- Roman Hill: 24 new places
