Reach South Academy Trust appointed to operate a new special school in Gloucester

Reach South Academy Trust are delighted to announce that in partnership with Gloucestershire County Council, we have been appointed by the DfE as the Trust to operate a new special school in Gloucester. The school will be an ‘all-through’ school for up to 200 primary and secondary pupils, with moderate and additional learning difficulties.

The appointment follows a successful public engagement in February 2024 which attracted many parents and children with special educational needs and disabilities as well as people who live locally to the proposed site in Abbeydale, Gloucester, you can view the presentation here.  

Opening in 2026, the school will be built on land owned by Gloucestershire County Council, which is intended for education purposes, at Wheatridge East in Abbeydale. Both the construction materials and the running of the school will aim for net zero carbon emissions, in line with the county council’s pledge to reduce Gloucestershire’s carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2030 and be carbon neutral by 2050.

Dean Ashton, CEO of Reach Academy Trust said, “I am delighted that plans are progressing for this new school, a great addition to the Reach South family. We are a family of schools that operates the full range of school provision - primary, secondary and special education, with part of our aim to be an inclusive high performing trust. Reach South was part of the team that attended the drop in event on 21^st May, meeting with local residents, parents and other members of the local community. We look forward to working with all interested parties in Gloucestershire to make sure that this new school meet the needs of children and families in the county."