Prime Highlights:
- Ivy House School in Derby will receive £1.7 million to increase SEND pupil places and reduce pressure on the school.
- The expansion will help children with severe and profound learning difficulties access local education instead of costly out-of-area placements.
Key Facts:
- Ivy House currently has 99 pupils, expected to rise to 108 in 2026–2027, with the expansion increasing capacity to 135.
- The project involves repurposing an under-utilised council building currently leased to Derby Moor Secondary School.
Background:
A special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) school in Derby is poised for a major expansion after plans were announced to invest £1.7 million into creating additional pupil places.
Derby City Council is expected to formally approve the funding allocation to Shaw Education Trust, which operates Ivy House School in Littleover. The investment aims to increase the availability of specialist education within the city and significantly cut the cost of placing pupils in out-of-area schools.
Council leaders say the move responds to growing demand for high-quality SEND education, particularly for children with severe learning difficulties (SLD) and profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD).
Ivy House School currently supports 99 pupils, a number projected to rise to 108 by the 2026–27 academic year. With the proposed development, capacity would increase to 135 pupils, subject to annual review.
The funding will be used to relocate some pupils from the school’s main building into a repurposed block located elsewhere on the site. The building is presently occupied by Derby Moor Community Sports College under a long-term lease agreement with the council. With three years remaining on the lease, an agreement has been reached to transfer the underused facility to Ivy House School.
Council officials say the change will ease pressure on existing SEND provision while ensuring children can access specialist education closer to home.
A representative from the council’s learning inclusion and skills team highlighted the wider impact of the project, noting that increasing local SEND placements not only benefits pupils and families but also helps the authority manage rising costs associated with external placements.
Cabinet members will review the proposal at their meeting on Wednesday. If approved, the expansion will help improve Derby’s inclusive education and support the city’s most vulnerable students.
