Council agrees plan for school at former HQ as part of commitment to special needs provision

Cheshire East Council has agreed funding to create a new SEND school at Westfields in Sandbach, the council’s former headquarters.

The site will be developed into an all‑through special school offering 140 places for children with a wide range of additional needs, subject to further planning and statutory processes.  

In addition to specialist provision, like the school planned at Westfields, the council’s vision is to embed inclusive practices across all schools so that, over time, more pupils can have their needs met locally. By supporting mainstream settings to adapt and respond earlier, the approach aims to reduce reliance on specialist placements and enable children to thrive in familiar environments. 

The Westfields project will now be included in the council’s revised capital programme, with the intention that future SEND capital investment will be directed towards strengthening mainstream inclusion. This means that other specialist provision for expansion of Springfield school at a site in Middlewich, that was included in the capital programme, is paused. 

Councillor Laura Crane, chair of Cheshire East Council’s children and families committee, said:

“Our priority is to give every child in Cheshire East the best possible start in life. As we develop our SEND sufficiency and inclusion strategies, we want to ensure that children are firmly at the heart of our future plans. Our goal is to strengthen an inclusive education system where every child can access the support and opportunities they need to thrive. 

“Following the government’s update on free schools last month, pursuing both previously proposed expansions at Springfield and Westfields would use all available SEND capital and only address one area of pressure. By pausing the Springfield project and progressing with Westfields, we can deliver a centrally located school that reduces transport times and experiences for families. The future of the Flag Lane Baths site is still being considered, and we will continue to work with the Department for Education on next steps. 

“Ultimately, strengthening inclusion in mainstream schools will help more pupils have their needs met locally. Investing in early intervention, developing our workforce and providing targeted support will help us manage increasing demand by meeting needs before a formal assessment is required.” 

This update comes as f40 the cross-party local authority campaign group has launched a national campaign calling for fairer education funding, alongside major reform and investment in SEND. 

Councillor Laura Crane continued:

“We are committed to supporting all children and listening carefully to families. However, we are frustrated by longstanding national pressures outside the council’s control which continue to drive rising demand and increased costs for specialist placements. I strongly support the call for long‑term reform focused on early intervention, increased resources and better inclusion in mainstream education. We look forward to further national direction in the upcoming Schools White Paper.” 

Pictured - Westfields in Sandbach, the council’s former headquarters.