AN investment of £2.5-million has been spent on a new Tavistock school for young people with autism and learning difficulties.

Priory Group, a leading behavioural health provider, invested the money in Tor View School for young people with specialist needs.

The school, which is located in the same building and grounds as the previous Chelfham School at Kilworthy, will be run by Priory Education and Children’s Services.

Chelfham School catered for 16 to 19 year olds and acted as a transitional environment to help young people learn and develop skills needed to live within society.

However, it was decided by the education experts within the Priory Group that the facilities had become ‘outdated’ and therefore a decision was taken to close Chelfham School and redevelop two new services on the same site.

The new school was opened on Monday, October 29 and admittance to the school will be staged to ensure all students are receiving the right support for their individual needs, prioritising young people from the local area.

Tyler Collins, regional operations director for the Priory’s Southern Peninsula Services, said: ‘We are delighted to be opening Tor View School for children with autism and learning difficulties in our region.

‘Tavistock is a fantastic area as it allows our children to be educated in the countryside where they can learn and play, while making as much noise as possible.

‘We are all excited to get the school up and running and headmaster Richard Horton has a strong team of staff behind him.’

Tor View School will also offer residential care for up to ten pupils, providing a safe environment to meet the specific physical, emotional, social and intellectual needs of all students.

Mr Collins added: ‘For some time, there has been an issue with young people from the South West having to relocate to educational services, sometimes hundreds of miles away from their home and parents, which can often be very distressing.

‘All too often, children with the most complex needs have to travel to a school miles away from home. It really is great news that the Priory is helping to plug this gap in the need for specialist education services within the South West.’

Simon Coles, CEO of Priory Education and Children’s Services, which is part of the Priory Group, said: ’At the Priory, we support over 1,400 children nationwide with varying mental health conditions and learning difficulties through their educational pathway, and do our very best to prepare them for independent and fulfilled adult lives.

‘We are very much looking forward to welcoming our expert teachers, support staff and pupils at the new Tor View site.’