The school will be registered for 72 pupils with special needs
The Aurora Brampton Valley School(Image: Google Earth)
Plans for a new SEND school in a former Leicestershire community centre have been revealed.
Special-needs education service The Aurora Group purchased the former Roman Way Community Centre on Roman Way, Market Harborough, in August last year.
The Aurora Group, who describe themselves as one of the UK’s leading providers of education, care and support services for children, young people and adults with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), submitted plans to redevelop the former community centre last year after the building was vacated by Shopmobility and other services in February 2025.
Roman Way Community Centre(Image: Google)
Plans for the school were approved by Harborough District Council (HDC) in December and since then work has been carried out to make external alterations to the building, create classrooms and build a multi-use games area.
Proposals at the time said the school was for young people with learning difficulties, who needed a quiet and calm environment that feels comfortable and homely and in no way institutional.
Plans include therapy spaces, alongside individual breakout spaces for each classroom.
Named The Aurora Brampton Valley School, the primary and secondary aged school, will be registered for 72 pupils, and support children and young people aged 5-19 with SEND from Market Harborough and across the county.
The Aurora Group said the headteacher and deputy head headteacher are due to begin work after Easter in preparation for the school to open in the autumn term.
Aurora’s Strategy Director Dan Slater said there has already been significant interest in the new school among parents and carers and conversations were taking place with Leicestershire County Council, Leicester City Council and North Northamptonshire Council.
He said: “Aurora is proud to be building this new school, which will support children and young people in Leicestershire whose needs cannot be met in a mainstream setting.
“Aurora Brampton Valley School will soon be delivering much-needed specialist school capacity meet a specific need in the area, supporting local children and families to achieve and thrive.”