First look at new £40m primary school planned for liverpool

NEW IMAGES SHOW WHAT THE SCHOOL COULD LOOK LIKE 17:10, 29 May 2025 New images have given a first look at plans for a new £40m special educational needs school in Liverpool. With the number

of children across the city requiring an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) increasing and families searching for specialist placement, the local authority is moving forward with the

proposed establishment of a purpose built site in West Derby. Currently, children at the existing Princes School are spread across four sites, including a main location in Toxteth. The city

council’s cabinet backed proposals last month to invest £37m into the building of a new school on long-derelict land off Princess Drive to house 250 pupils. A consultation has now been

launched on the plans with hopes a formal planning application can be submitted by the summer. The new site aims to provide exciting opportunities for children to learn in a safe and happy

school environment. Documents released as part of a cabinet report when the funds were signed off in April said the current locations for the Princes School are in “poor condition” and are

“not suited to the complex needs of the pupils or the growing demand of the service needs to provide sufficient places within the city for pupils with an Education Health and Care Plan

(EHCP).” The case for a new school was made a number of years ago and needs to be delivered “as quickly as possible” according to the city’s own analysis. Article continues below The main

Princes School on Selborne Street and Picton site provides education for primary age pupils with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD) and autism. At this time, an additional

two cohorts are being managed on satellite sites on Dingle Lane and Overbury Street. The Toxteth and Picton sites are in particularly poor condition according to assessments by the local

authority. They are described as being “nearing the end of their functional life” but remain safe to use for the time being. The cabinet report added: “Some key building services have failed

and there has been additional expense for the council keeping the buildings open.” Following the completion of a public consultation, the city council will move forward with building work

at a plot on Colwell Road off Princess Drive, West Derby. The site, which was allocated in 2023, was formerly a primary school which was demolished in 2006 and has remained vacant and in an

overgrown state since. It is anticipated that 250 pupils would be located at the school, which would include the relocation of the current Princes School pupils. In Liverpool, pupils with an

EHCP has risen by 50% in the four years since 2020. More than 30 classrooms would be created with dedicated hygiene rooms and hoist access. The school would be built on a single storey to

provide greater accessibility while two hydrotherapy pools would be provided. Article continues below Rebound and multisensory rooms form part of the wider plans, alongside a community space

including open café area and meeting/conference area. The location of this space means that the rest of the school can be locked down.