Education Minister Paul Givan has approved three major capital projects, prioritised under the Special School Plan of Action, to progress to the planning and design phase.

The programme comprises: a new‑build 320‑pupil school for Longstone School; a 220‑pupil extension at St Gerard's Special School; and a new 500‑pupil special school in south Belfast.

Paul Givan said: "Over the past decade, we have seen extraordinary growth in demand for specialist places with over 30,000 children having more complex needs and a formal Statement of SEN. As a result, there has been a 49% increase in the number of pupils attending a special school. Projections indicate that demand will continue to rise over the next ten years, meaning a need for over 6,000 additional places in our special schools. "Significant planning must begin now if we are to meet this demand over the next decade via new build special schools, large-scale extensions, or second campuses for existing schools, to allow for the long lead times required for major infrastructure projects.

"Therefore, I have taken the necessary step of approving three priority major capital projects within the Special School Plans of Action to move forward into planning and design."

These approvals come in addition to new‑build projects already initiated for Sperrinview and Knockevin, a second campus for Ardnashee, a new special school in Dromore and a 500‑pupil special school in East Belfast.

The Minister concluded: "The scale and urgency of need demands that three priority projects progress in design and planning at least to pre‑tender stage. These projects, like all of the major projects on the SEN capital investment programme, will only progress to construction when funding becomes available.

"The only way forward to put investment in SEN infrastructure on a sustainable footing is for it to be recognised as a strategic cross-government priority. I will continue to press for the additional funding required to meet demand over the next decade."