Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust held a public consultation at St James Primary School last week (November 15 and 16) to discuss the building of a new special school in Okehampton.

As part of a legal obligation, the Trust held the meeting to inform Okehampton residents about the school, which will be called the Promise Cooperative, and address any issues or concerns brought forward by members of the public.

Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust said: ’We have been really pleased with the engagement and enthusiasm we have received so far during our consultation and look forward to welcoming the school into our Trust family from next September.’

The consultation period is still ongoing and will run until December 13. A report on the outcome is expected early next year.

So far, the Trust has received planning permission for the school, posted advertisements for the role of headteacher, agreed a contract with a building company and set up a partnership with the Compass Partnership of Schools, a multi-academy trust which runs six primary schools in London, for advice and support.

The school building is due to be completed by September 2023 but will be accepting pupils from September next year who will be taught in designated areas at St James Primary School and Okehampton College while the building is being completed.

The pupils will have a separate entrance, specialist classrooms, access to outdoor facilities and catering.

The finished building will have facilities for up to 100 children og either sex aged 4-16 with social, emotional and mental health needs and was set up due to the lack of access to special schools across the whole of Devon.