Permission granted for North Cambridge Academy expansion as school in ‘desperate need’ of SEND facilities

A Cambridge secondary school has been given permission to expand to create dedicated facilities for pupils with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).

North Cambridge Academy is described as being “undersized” for the number of pupils currently attending it, but is in “desperate need” of purpose built SEND facilities.

The planning application states: “The school is in desperate need for purpose built SEND facilities in order to support the learning needs of the 150 students that require specialist learning support, without these facilities the students overall education will continue to suffer.

“By creating the new extension it allows for existing areas of the school to be remodelled into SEND specific classrooms.”

The Arbury Road school is part of the Meridian Academies Trust, which submitted the plans to Cambridge City Council, who have since approved the application. The academy was built back in 2015 on the site of Manor Community College.

North Cambridge Academy has a pupil capacity of 750, and has 150 pupils that need SEND support.

Under the plans a new front entrance will be built as well as a new sports hall. The trust said this extension will allow other existing areas of the school to be remodelled to provide the facilities the school is “deficient” in.

Planning officers said the development would “not only add to, but improve the existing building”.

Principal Jane Driver said: “We are delighted that planning permission has been granted for an expansion to our facilities at North Cambridge Academy, enabling us to continue offering a high-quality broad and balanced curriculum for our increasingly popular and rapidly growing school.

“The development will see new state-of-the-art facilities for the study of technology, music, performing arts and photography, and will also create dedicated facilities to further support our pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

“We look forward to watching the redevelopment of these spaces and to seeing our students put them to good use for the first time. Thank you to all our partners, including our colleagues across Meridian Trust, who have supported this project and enabled us to bring it to fruition.”