North Yorkshire Council has invested £2.4 million in a new secondary school in Harrogate. The Lighthouse Learning Trust will operate the school once it opens.
The facility will provide education for up to 80 pupils aged 11 to 19, including those with communication and interaction needs. It will offer a broad curriculum in a specialist environment alongside a formal academic programme.
Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, executive member for education, learning and skills at North Yorkshire Council, said: “We want to provide the very best education for all children in North Yorkshire. We have a coordinated strategy across the whole county to meet the special educational needs of children. This includes strengthening practice in mainstream schools, developing SEN resource bases and investing in fabulous new facilities such as this one where they are needed. The Lighthouse Learning Trust’s existing work gives us real confidence in its ability to deliver high quality specialist education and will be a welcome addition to our community of schools in North Yorkshire.”
Emma Sullivan, principal of the Lighthouse Learning Trust, said: “We are delighted to be confirmed as the academy trust for the new Harrogate special school, bringing more specialist support to young people and their families across the region.”
Katie Parlett, founder and chair of governors of the trust, commented: “We are looking forward to working in partnership with the local authority, families, and stakeholders to create a school that meets needs of young people and inspire the brightest of futures.”
The trust will work with the Department for Education to convert to a multi-academy trust while coordinating with the council to meet technical requirements. An opening date will be announced in the coming months.
The number of children in North Yorkshire with Educational Health Care Plans has risen from 1,700 in 2015 to more than 6,000 in 2025.
