An oversubscribed special needs school is set to put in a planning application to expand its site with an estimated £1m investment.

Dysart School, in Ewell Road, Surbiton, wants to to provide an extra 24 spaces for students with complex learning difficulties.

It currently has 72 children aged four to 19.

Headteacher Leigh Edser said: "It is much needed – we are turning away too many students.

"That’s why the bid was put in and the Education Funding Agency could obviously see that.

"It is the first expansion of a special school in Kingston for a period of time.

"On average I have to turn away 12 students a year so there is a need within Kingston to create additional spaces for the provision that we provide."

Surrey Comet:

Dysart School headteacher Leigh Edser 

The school received £1,000,250 from the Education Funding Agency after applying for a grant.

It is hoped the expansion will reduce the number of special needs students forced to go outside the borough for schooling.

The new building is proposed for the the bottom of the school’s playing field, on land owned by Kingston Council and currently used by neighbouring school St Matthew’s as a nature reserve.

The nature reserve would be relocated as part of the expansion plans, Mrs Edser said.

Surrey Comet:

The field where the building could go 

The new building would provide a centre for post-16 education which will free up space on the main site for the 24 extra children.

If given planning permission, building work is expected to start in January 2015 and will be completed within five months.

Dysart is one of only three special schools in the borough.

A public consultation into the proposed expansion is live on the council website at kingston.gov.uk.