Bracknell Forest Council has formally asked the Department for Education (DfE) to fully fund and deliver a new 100-place autism school in Buckler’s Park (Forest View School).
Providing a dedicated school in Bracknell Forest for children and young people with autism has been part of the council’s special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) strategy for some time.
A letter received in mid-December 2025 asked the council to consider choosing between the following two options:
- the DfE to fully fund and deliver Forest View School
- a lump sum of £5.4 million over the next three years to provide SEND school places elsewhere
The council carefully thought about what would be best for children and young people with SEND. They worked with partners and parent carers before sending a formal request to the DfE to build a new school.
This decision was based on evidence showing a need for:
- a new school
- continued investment in specialist resource provisions for SEND children and young people in mainstream schools
The funding option could have remodeled or extended some existing specialist resources in schools. However, the £5.4 million would not cover the full cost to build the new Forest View School. This means the council could not have taken the funding and project managed the building and development of the school independently.
Grainne Siggins, executive director for people, said:
“Following a letter from the Government in December, we worked with local partners, parent carer representatives and professionals to carefully considered the two options available. Our priority is to provide the best possible learning and education for our children and young people with SEND. These needs were central when considering our decision.
“We are currently offering an increased number of school places through specialist resource provision in our mainstream schools and the new social, emotional and mental health school. However, it was clear from our local data on SEND requirements that a special autism school alongside the specialist resource provision in mainstream schools was key to meeting the needs of our children and young people. A new specialist school will reduce the need for many children to travel out of the borough to receive their education in special or independent schools.”
Victoria Stageman, co-chair of the Bracknell Parent Carer Forum (PCF), said:
"For years, we have heard local parent carers crying out for more specialist schools in Bracknell Forest. We heard a lot of support when an autism school was first proposed, and when plans for Forest View were released. Parent carers were disappointed by the delays caused by the DfE and we regularly asked for updates on progress.
“The Government's push to provide more special needs school places resulted in the DfE wanting to know if the area still wanted to go ahead with the autism school or create more specialist provision in mainstream schools. Considering the delays to plans, we wanted to check that parent carers had not changed their opinions. The response was resoundingly in favour of the school. However, parent carers overwhelmingly stated they do not want an either/or situation. They recognise that Bracknell Forest needs both more specialist schools and more specialist provision in mainstream.
“Bracknell PCF will continue to push for both options, whatever the outcome."
