WORK has finished on York's new £3.74 million secondary school for children with special needs.

Doncaster-based builder Strata has completed the extension and refurbishment work at Applefields special needs school in Burnholme on behalf of City of York Council.

Applefields has been operating on two sites, in Bad Bargain Lane, Burnholme, and at the old Northfield special school site in Acomb, for the past year, providing places for up to 140 children, aged 11 to 19.

This came after Lidgett Grove School and Galtres School closed at the end of the summer term last year, as part of the City of York Council's plan to reorganise special school provision.

Applefields and its partner primary school, Hob Moor Oaks, were set up following a review of special needs education in the city. Strata completed the new build element of the extensive scheme in October last year, and the refurbishment of the existing premises is due for completion this month. Following completion, the school will operate solely from the Burnholme site.

Head teacher George Gilmore said the new school will provide larger classrooms, including specialist facilities for students with profound and complex needs, such as those with autism.

Facilities will include a broadband internet connection and IT equipment, as well as a hydrotherapy pool and a new school library.

Students will also be able to take advantage of physiotherapy, speech and language therapy and nursing and medical support. The site is next to Burnholme Community College, and the school will maintain very close links with the college.

In May, the Evening press reported parents' anger that the school was closing early for the summer term to allow equipment to be moved in to the new buildings.

A father from Badger Hill, whose son goes to Applefields School, said many parents would struggle to pay for the extra child care for their children.

Mr Gilmore said the decision to close the school early from July 20 to July 22 was not taken lightly, but it was impossible to get all the equipment moved during the summer holidays.

The new school building is on course to open at the beginning to students of the autumn term this year.

Updated: 11:14 Thursday, July 21, 2005