A NEW school for more than 100 pupils will open near to the A303 by 2023.

Somerset County Council has successfully convinced the Department for Education (DfE) to build a new specialist free school west of the existing dual carriageway between the villages of Ash and Tintinhull near Yeovil.

The new school will be constructed by the DfE and provide more than 100 places for children with “social, emotional and mental health needs” between the ages of five and 16.

The school will be managed by the Wave Multi-Academy Trust, which currently runs more than a dozen specialist schools in Devon and Cornwall.

The new school – dubbed the Martock-Ash Academy – will accept up to 120 pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including those with speech, language and communication difficulties.

Somerset County Gazette: Site Of New Specialist School Near A303 Between Ash And Tintinhull. CREDIT: Google Maps. Free to use for all BBC wire partners.

Pupils will be able to study a range of subjects up to Key Stage 4, working towards either GCSEs or vocational qualifications.

The trust has promised there will be “lots of outdoor learning opportunities”, with those attending having frequent off-site visits (including sailing and climbing trips) and the option to take part in Ten Tors and the Duke of Edinburgh Award.

A spokesman said: “We will work closely with our families and the community in order to provide opportunities for our pupils to develop communication skills, a positive sense of self, self-esteem and learn about activities that promote good mental health.

“Our academy will be purpose-designed and built with the needs of our pupils at the centre of the design.  Our building will support the age range of pupils with appropriate separation and areas of the school to encourage pupil access to play places where they can self-regulate.

“We are proud to be able to work with the council and look forward to working with local schools, community groups and families in order to develop our new provision that meets the children and young people’s need in the area and plays an active part in the community.

“We will aim to be a great benefit to the local community, both with the work we do and the employment opportunities that will be available.”

While most new schools are constructed by the council, using its capital programme and contributions from housing developers, this new academy will be entirely funded by the DfE through its SEN Free School Programme.

The new site, which lies in open countryside near the A303, will be leased to the trust from the council on a 125-year lease.

Victoria Goscomb, the council’s property performance and governance officer, said: “The proposed new school would provide local places for children with a range of complex additional needs, addressing a shortage of places in the local area and providing Somerset children with better ‘in-county’ provision.

“The parcel of land in question was previously leased as agricultural land.”

The council hopes the new school buildings can be completed by October 2022 (pending planning permission), with the school being able to accept pupils from January 2023.