New specialist school for youngsters with autism to be first in the county

Watch a report by ITV News Anglia's Elodie Harper.

Plans for a new special free school in Cambridgeshire for young people with autism have been welcomed by parents.

The Cavendish School, will be the first of its kind in the county and has recently received sign off on official funding from the Department for Education (DfE), to cover the costs associated with opening the new school this autumn.

Samuel Matthews from Ely has found that his autism has made mainstream school difficult for him, so is looking forward to starting at The Cavendish School in September.

In September Samuel will be attending a new school that aims to address this gap in provision. 

The Cavendish school is still being built, but the leadership team have high hopes for what it will provide.

The design of the school includes calm sensory breakout rooms, a life skills room, a horticultural room and wider corridors to ensure that students do not feel claustrophobic when moving around the school site.

There will also be safe spaces, integrated occupational health therapy and speech and language therapy.

The site will be for 80 children but if it's a success the trust hopes to expand to further sites.

Currently the building structure is being manufactured off-site in Northern Ireland and is expected to arrive later this month at the school site, which is co-located with Impington Village College and Impington International College.

The ultimate aim of the school will be to give Samuel and other children the best possible start in life, by meeting as many of their needs as possible.