The vacant former Wokingham library building is set to become special needs school for those over the age of 16.
Wokingham Borough Council’s executive’s November 28 meeting will consider a proposal to convert the building in Denmark Street into its new Post-16 SEND Hub.
If councillors agree, plans will be progressed to convert the first floor of the building, which closed in September 2022 when the library moved to Carnival Place, into four classrooms, accommodating 40 young people.
There will also be a range of specialist areas for vocational training such as a teaching kitchen or hair salon.
Teaching would include core foundation skills such as English and maths, access to work training, independent living skills and vocational courses. It is expected to open in 2026.
It is expected to save the council more than £1 million a year in costs of sending the students out of the borough.
Cllr Prue Bray, executive member for children’s services, said: “The need for more SEND places in the borough is well documented and I am thrilled we are reaching the next milestone in providing a much-needed Post-16 SEND Hub.
“Using the old library means that it is ideally placed for transport links and for students to have access to a range of different employers, while at the same time maintaining the site for community use.
“The Post-16 SEND Hub will join other new and planned SEND provision in the borough including two new schools, offering children and young people of all ages access to education in their local communities.
“This means we can better manage the tricky balance of providing excellent local SEND services while, at the same time, address spiralling costs.”
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