Work has commenced to rebuild and expand Selworthy School, a special needs school in Taunton, almost three years after reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) was found within its Oakhill campus. Selworthy School educates children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) across two sites: Hazelbrook campus for secondary and sixth form pupils and Oakhill campus for primary students.
In August 2022, the Oak Partnership Trust, which operates the school, identified a significant amount of RAAC—a material known for its vulnerability to structural failure—posing serious safety risks to staff and pupils at the Oakhill site. Now, with Somerset Council contributing £1.7 million from its capital budget, renovations to remove RAAC and upgrade facilities are underway.
The redevelopment project not only addresses safety concerns but also aims to increase capacity by creating 24 additional places at the Oakhill campus, raising the total number of pupils on that site from 88 to 112, and bringing the entire Selworthy School population to 231. This expansion will help reduce the need to transport students long distances for specialized education.
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Lewis Andrews, Somerset Council’s SEND sufficiency manager, highlighted the growing demand for SEND placements driven by increases in diagnoses of autism, social and emotional needs, as well as physical and neurological conditions. This surge has strained existing school capacities and forced many children to travel far from home to receive education tailored to their needs.
Andrews explained that limited powers to open new special schools and constraints from the Department for Education (DfE) have hindered the council’s ability to meet the rising demand through local provision. The DfE acknowledged the urgency of replacing the Oakhill campus, listing it as a high priority in early 2024 and including it in the national school rebuilding programme.
The new purpose-built facility, to be constructed adjacent to the current Oakhill site, will integrate primary and secondary education for SEND pupils within a single building. While the DfE has not disclosed the total cost due to commercial sensitivity, Somerset Council’s £1.7 million contribution ensures the addition of three new classrooms.
These new places will help alleviate pressure on alternative education arrangements, such as independent and non-maintained sector placements or education otherwise than at school (EOTAS) packages, which tend to be significantly more expensive than local state-maintained special schools.
The rebuilt Selworthy School is scheduled to welcome pupils in September 2026, marking a significant step forward in Somerset’s commitment to improving SEND education. As demand for SEND provision rises, spending remains a critical challenge for the council, which is managing a dedicated schools grant deficit forecasted to exceed £100 million. The Department for Education has extended the statutory override on this deficit until March 2028, with national SEND reform proposals expected later this year.