25 new specialist school places confirmed in Surrey

We're delighted to share that Councillor Jonathan Hulley, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning has approved the development of 25 new specialist school places for autistic children at St Paul's Church of England Primary school in Tongham. This marks another major milestone in our on going work to expand Special Education Needs (SEN) provision.

This new specialist unit means more children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) will soon be able to access high-quality, specialist support closer to home and within a welcoming mainstream school environment.

The new unit is planned to open in September 2026, offering 25 dedicated places for pupils age 4 to 11 years old. Pupils will benefit from specialist support while remaining very much part of the inclusive school community.

This approval forms part of Surrey's wider Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Capital Programme which is investing in new, state-maintained specialist places across the county. Since 2019, we have committed £260 million to expanding provision reducing reliance on independent school placements and ensuring that more children can receive the right support within their own communities.

This expansion directly supports Surrey's ambition to ensure children and young people with Additional Needs and Disabilities receive the right support, in the right place, as the right time, helping them to thrive both in their learning and their lives beyond the classroom.