The cabinet has continued to give its support to a proposal that will see Ysgol Y Deri expand to accomodate an additional 150 pupils.

The school caters for students aged 3-19 yrs with a range of learning and physical needs and autism. It has been widely lauded for the service it provides and recently featured in the heartwarming BBC documentary A Special School.

The expansion will take place 1.6 miles away from the existing site on land next to the proposed Upper Cosmeston Farm development. It will proceed if the Welsh Government agrees to fund 75% of the £11 million project.

During yesterday's (8 February) cabinet meeting, a public consultation was presented. Of the 102 respondents, 90 voiced their support for the proposal.

It is, however, important to note that of these 90 positive responses, 82 came from "members of staff". Of those who claimed to be "local residents", 67% (10 people) said they do not support the proposal.

They listed traffic concerns and distance from the existing Ysgol Y Deri site among their concerns.

The cabinet agreed to consider the consultation results, with no member voicing any objection to the project.

Deputy Leader of the Vale of Glamorgan Council and Cabinet Member for Education Lis Burnett said: "I am really, really pleased that we can demonstrate a commitment to our children that whatever the challenges they face, whatever their educational needs, we will fight to supply the correct type and quality of education their deserve."

Council Leader Neil Moore then voiced his support: "It's an obvious situation. We have to increase our supply of this type of education, so I'm happy to second."

The expansion would be managed by the governing body and leadership of the existing Ysgol Y Deri. Headteacher Mr Chris Britten has previously stressed the need for expansion:

"We now have over 300 pupils in a school that was built for 205. We desperately need to establish another school building as we expect these numbers to keep on rising.

"We know that with the right support and the right environment these pupils can flourish. Mainstream schools cannot meet their needs and that's where we come in. We are the only special school in the Vale of Glamorgan so there is nowhere else for these children to go – unless it is to other local authorities or private provision which would be at huge cost to the council tax payers," he continued.

"The new school building would cater for primary age children and be built along the lines of Ysgol Y Deri to provide everything these children need to be happier and to succeed. It is a much-needed development to look after and educate the children with the greatest and most complex needs in our society."

If all goes to plan, the expansion will open in 2023. The establishment of a "specialist resource base" at Gladstone Primary School managed by Ysgol Y Deri from September this year is also being considered.