Cardiff Council is set to expand specialist education provision for pupils with additional learning needs (ALN) across the city, with plans to create hundreds of new places. The programme aims to provide an added 462 specialist places in schools and special schools amid a surge in numbers of children assessed as having additional needs.
If agreed, upgrades at 15 city schools will provide an additional 334 specialist places, including 196 places in special schools and 146 places in special resource bases (SRBs) this autumn, with a further 120 places to be opened in coming years.
Public consultation shows strong support
Subject to cabinet approval, the next stage of plans will significantly increase specialist education provision across the city after a public consultation showed strong support for the proposals, the council said. The consultation, which ran during February and March 2026, showed more than eight in 10 respondents to each of the surveys supported the proposals overall.
Formal responses, including those from school governing bodies and Estyn, broadly supported the plans, subject to careful implementation.
Phase one details
Phase one of the programme includes the creation of new specialist resource bases for learners with autism and social communication needs, complex learning needs, and emotional health and wellbeing needs, alongside expanding capacity at two bases and a number of special schools.
If agreed by cabinet, the plans will include nine new SRBs and two expanded SRBs at schools across Cardiff, additional Welsh-medium provision, and increases in capacity at Meadowbank, Ty Gwyn, Woodlands, and Greenhill special schools.
The plans are designed to improve access to specialist support, reduce travel for families and provide a wider range of appropriate educational provision for learners with complex needs, the council said.
School expansions detailed
Expansions of Specialist Resource Bases for Autism/Social Communication Needs (ASC) are planned at Hywel Dda Primary School, Radnor Primary School, Ysgol Glan Morfa, Fitzalan High School, and Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern.
Expansions of Specialist Resource Bases for Complex Learning Needs (CLN) are planned at Adamsdown Primary School, Pencaerau Primary School, and Peter Lea Primary School. Expansions of Specialist Resource Bases for Emotional Health and Wellbeing (EHWB) are planned at Baden Powell Primary School, Fairwater Primary School, and Ysgol Gymraeg Coed-y-Gof.
Special school expansions include Ty Gwyn Special School increasing capacity from 240 to 300 places from January 2027 using the existing Ty Gwyn and former Riverbank sites, with a further increase to 320 places in a new school building at Ty Glas from September 2030. Meadowbank Special School will increase capacity from 98 to 112 places from January 2027. Woodlands High School will increase capacity from 240 to 300 places from January 2027 across two sites, with a further increase to 360 places following redevelopment of the Vincent Road campus from September 2032. Greenhill Special School will increase capacity from 64 to 128 places, using accommodation at the former Court School site in Llanishen.
Councillor Sarah Merry, Cardiff Council's cabinet member for education, said: "Every child and young person deserves access to the support they need to learn, thrive and reach their full potential. These proposals represent a significant investment in Cardiff's specialist education provision and will help ensure more learners with additional learning needs can access high-quality support in their local communities."
The recommendations will be considered by the council's cabinet when it meets on Thursday, September 17. Prior to the cabinet meeting a report will be scrutinised by The Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee when it meets on September 8.
