New special educational needs school proposed in Coventry
A single-storey office block in Foleshill could be turned into a school for children with special education needs if given the green light
Last updated 30th Oct 2025
Plans for a new special educational needs school has been proposed in Coventry, where a single-storey office block sandwiched between houses and the canal in Foleshill currently stands.
Guildhall Academy Ltd is seeking permission for the change of use, explaining that there was an ‘acute need’ in Coventry.
A planning statement sent to Coventry City Council explains that 65b George Eliot Road has had a varied history having been a nursery, care home and council training centre. The new plans would see up to 35 children attend the school along with 15 members of staff.
The document, drawn up by Worcester-based consultants Addison Rees, states: “The applicants currently work with Coventry City Council with children with special educational needs, by collecting them from home and taking them to their centre for activities. However, the applicants are going to formalise this by also now providing the education side by registering with Ofsted as a special seeds provision for up to 35 children at the application site.
“The applicants are aware of the acute need for such specialist school provision, with children having been at home for the past two years due to no school being able to take them on. The applicants have been searching for a site suitable to provide the specialist school, and have been very fortunate to find the application site, located in a highly sustainable location, near to existing schools, with its own vehicle access, parking facilities and outdoor amenity area, with a building of a size and flexible layout to provide for the educational needs of the children.”
The report goes on to highlight the national shortage of suitable school places stating that a House of Commons committee report in September found there were an estimated 1.7 million school-aged children with special educational needs and disabilities in England. It added that the proposal would help meet some of that need locally.
No external alterations will be carried out if the plans are approved and the school would run from 8.50am to 4pm although not all the children would be full-time and they would arrive and leave by minibus. There would be a parking space for the minibus and 13 cars on the existing area of hardstanding.
The planning statement adds: “Given the nature and hours of opening of the proposed specialist school use of the premises, there would not be any detrimental impact upon the amenities of the occupiers of the existing neighbouring properties over and above the established permitted use of the site. Furthermore, the proposals would result in significantly fewer vehicle trips to and from the site.”