Spalding's Garth and Priory schools to merge and form new Tulip Academy as part of Lincolnshire Special Schools Project

Two special needs schools have announced plans to merge together as one.

In September this year, the Garth and Priory schools will join forces to form the new Tulip Academy Spalding.

Teaching will continue to be delivered across two locations, which will be coined the Waterside and Springview campuses.

The planned merger was announced to parents and carers at a Garth School information evening last week. It is part of Lincolnshire’s Special Schools Project, which aims to enhance specialist teaching throughout the county.

A presentation stated that by joining together, the schools will be able to ensure children are ‘respected, hopeful and optimistic about their future’.

Executive head teacher Matt Bloodworth-Flatt said: “We had an excellent turnout, 39 parents and carers came to the event and we gave a presentation explaining that Tulip Academy Spalding will be a newly formed ‘all-needs’ school for children and young adults aged 2-19 with a range of learning difficulties and disabilities.

“We talked to parents about the school being situated over two campuses (Waterside and Springview) and an important part of the evening was to explain about the school’s new mission of ‘making every moment matter’, putting learners first, preparing them for their future and developing knowledge and skills which will allow them to thrive in adult life.”

The Garth School, which will be renamed the Springview Campus, has undergone a significant expansion which included the addition of five state-of-the-art classrooms and redeveloped sensory and therapy spaces.

The Waterside Campus (formally the Priory School) will have nine classrooms when similar modifications are complete.