The Secretary of State for Education has approved the joint bid submitted by Halton and St Helens Councils to establish a new Free School for Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs (SEMH).
Developing a free school locally will ensure that the councils can meet the needs of secondary students with SEMH within the borough, removing the need for many pupils to travel long distances to receive the support they need.
The school would be for 50 pupils aged 11-16 with SEMH, as well as catering for a range of other issues.
The two councils can now move on to the next stage of the process, which is the opportunity for potential trusts to apply to develop and run the new school.
Cllr Tom McInerney, Halton Council’s Executive Board member for Children, Education and Social Care, said: “I am very pleased that the Department of Education has recognised the importance of Halton having its own local specialist provision, which gives children and young people the chance to be educated within the local community.”