Kirklees Council has secured planning permission for a new, purpose-built special school in Almondbury, Huddersfield, which will replace the existing Woodley School and College. The new facility will provide 180 places for children and young people aged 5 to 19 with complex autism, including a dedicated post-16 provision.

The school will relocate to a new site on Fernside Avenue in Almondbury. Created to provide a safe, nurturing and inclusive environment for pupils with complex autism, the new school and college has been thoughtfully designed by Frank Shaws Associates. The facility will include specialist classrooms, sensory and immersive rooms, indoor and outdoor breakout spaces, a forest school, food technology rooms, a post-16 café and a life skills suite for young adults. These features reflect best practice guidance from the Autism Education Trust (AET) and were shaped through engagement with students and staff at Woodley.

Planning consultancy Lichfields, based in Leeds, worked in collaboration with Kirklees Council throughout the process - combining their planning expertise with the Council’s local insight and strategic priorities. Lichfields prepared and submitted the planning application and supported the project team during discussions with planning officers and consultees, to ensure the design aligned with local priorities and planning consultee 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.”

investment in the new Woodley School and College forms part of Kirklees Council’s wider transformation of SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) provision across the district. The new facility will significantly enhance the quality of education and support available to pupils with complex autism.

Construction is expected to begin next year.

Jonathan Standen, Planning Director in Lichfields’ Leeds office, added: “There’s a growing demand across the country for specialist school places and Kirklees is taking a proactive approach to meeting that need. This scheme is a great example of what can be achieved when technical teams, local authorities and planners work together. We’re pleased to have helped bring forward a development that will have a lasting and positive impact on the lives of children and young people in the borough.”