Council chiefs visit site of new £26m special needs school in Kempston

Council bosses saw for themselves the new special needs school at the the former Robert Bruce Middle in Kempston.

Once completed, it will be one of the largest in the country at a cost of £26 million.

The school – on Hillgrounds Road – will cater for 200 children and young people, aged two to 19.

The project has been funded in conjunction with the Department For Education and is due to open in phases from September 2024.

Mayor Tom Wootton and Bedford Borough Council officers were joined by Councillor Jane Walker, portfolio holder for family, education and children's services, and her predecessor Councillor James Valentine.

The mayor said: “Signing off on this new school was one of the first things I did on my first day when I was elected. It will make an enormous difference to so many children and families for many years to come.”