Green light for specialist SEND school in Northamptonshire set to welcome more than 250 children next year

A new SEND school in Northamptonshire has been given the go-ahead by the council.

It is set to welcome a cohort of up to 252 children in September 2025 and will cater to students on the autistic spectrum and those with severe learning difficulties.

The facility is located at the old St John’s Centre on the edge of Tiffield and is next to the A43, which has many links to towns across the county from Northampton to Brackley.

The plans were discussed at West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) strategic planning committee meeting on Tuesday night (January 23), where councillors also called for a “lethal” junction of the A43, which would be used to turn into the school, to be closed off to reduce people using the route.

People driving southbound to the school would have to cross over two lanes of traffic on the dual carriageway to reach Tiffield Academy. This includes an estimated 25 minibuses, as well as private hire taxis and parents at drop off and pick up time.

Councillor Laura Cook, from Tiffield Parish Council, told the planning committee that she was in support of the development in principle, but could not support the use of the “dangerous” junction. She added: “How can we honestly say the junction can cope with this volume in a limited time period?

“It doesn’t take into account driver behaviours such as impatience, lack of courtesy, pressure to meet deadlines, ignorance, and a lack of local knowledge and experience. It’s these that cause the near misses and that we witness as locals on the A43 all the time.

“Drivers are so confused by this junction crossing they will create chaos for other road users. I can’t stress how serious this is.”

National highways had no objections to the route and WNC officers said it was a “safe means of access” to the site. According to WNC highways, only two accidents had been reported on the junction in question in the last five years.

Cabinet member for children and education, Councillor Fiona Baker, spoke at the meeting to impress the “desperate need” for the specialist education facility. The school is a key part of plans to deliver an extra 600 SEND places across the county.

“This provision will allow us to educate these children nearer to their home location and avoid us sending them on very long journeys every day to out-of-county provisions. I have admitted on many occasions that I am failing these children and I do not wish to continue to do this,” Cllr Baker said at the meeting.

Councillors unanimously approved plans for Tiffield Academy, adding a routing condition to make all vehicles under the control of WNC follow a specific course. This will prevent them from using the A43 crossover junction and using village roads in Caldecotte and Tiffield- they must instead travel further along the A43 to turn at a roundabout.

Work can now begin on the demolition of the existing buildings at the St John’s centre and the construction of the new school. Children aged four to 18 will be eligible to attend the academy and use the specialist classrooms and facilities.