A Bath school that shut at the end of the summer term is set to undergo a £2.2 million transformation.
Bath Studio School opened in 2014 specialising in creative and media subjects but was never able to attract enough students to make it viable.
It shared the Frome Road campus with the Aspire Academy, which is set to expand to meet the growing demand for spaces for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Bath and North East Somerset Council last week approved funding for the project, which will boost student numbers to 120 by 2022/23.
The school is part of the Wellsway Multi Academy Trust, whose chief operating officer, Tim Howes, said: “This will double the number of children aged four to 16 on roll and will also allow Aspire to add a small sixth form, with places for eight 16- to 18-year-olds.
“It means we will be able to increase the number of places available locally for children with diagnosed social, emotional and mental health needs, for whom a mainstream school might not be appropriate.
“We will also be able to offer some places for young people with more complex needs, including autistic spectrum conditions.
“This additional provision is much needed in Bath and North East Somerset and should reduce the number of children who have to travel long distances outside the area for their schooling.
“We are looking forward to building on the successful specialist work at Aspire, which is rated ‘good’ by Ofsted, to create a hub for special educational needs and disabilities provision.”
Councillor Kevin Guy, the cabinet member for children’s services, added: “In Bath and North East Somerset we have high demand for special school placements, so the expansion of Aspire Academy will provide a much-needed increase in the number of spaces available.
“The school will have a phased increase in numbers, firstly to a total of 84 places during the academic year 2021/22 and then a final increase to a total of 120 places in 2022/23.
“It’s great news that these extra places will help us to meet the needs of more children in Bath and North East Somerset and will support them to achieve and thrive.”
As well as improving local capacity, the project will cut the “unsustainable” cost to the council of children travelling outside the district to placements.
The 300-place Bath Studio School, also a member of the Wellsway MAT, was the first of its kind to open in the West of England but was operating at less than 50 per cent capacity. Some students had moved there when the Bath Community Academy closed.
Wellsway MAT sought its closure by mutual agreement with the Department for Education because it was not financially viable.
The decision was confirmed in October 2018 and the school closed in July of this year.
Stephen Sumner, Local Democracy Reporter
