A new special school in south Essex could provide dozens of extra places if fresh plans are approved.
Essex County Council's cabinet is set to decide whether to increase capacity at the new, split-site institution in Rayleigh and South Woodham Ferrers on June 26.
Initially planned to accommodate 190 students, the school could cater for 252, with 150 places in Rayleigh's Wolsey Park and 102 at the former Chetwood Primary School site in South Woodham Ferrers.
This increase follows a redesign of the all-through, split-site school.
The new configuration would host KS1 and KS2 students at Wolsey Park, and KS3 and KS4 at Chetwood.
This would make room for more special school places.
The proposal includes allocating an extra £13 million to cover building costs, funded by the High Needs Provision Capital Allocation grant.
Tony Ball, councillor responsible for education excellence, lifelong learning, and employability, said: "I am pleased to present this decision to cabinet.
"Increasing capacity at the new special school would mean we can support even more children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities within the local community."
The original decision to open a special school was taken in May 2024, in response to the growing population in the south Essex area.
Andy Hodgkinson, CEO of Zenith Multi-Academy Trust, said: "It is very welcome news that even more pupils and their families now stand to benefit from what, once open, we are determined will be a truly outstanding special school provision.
"This new configuration of the two sites into separate primary and secondary phases will also enable even better specialisation of staffing expertise and resources."
Rayleigh and Wickford MP, Mark Francois, added: "I am delighted to see that this project has now grown, from around 100 pupils at the outset to around 250 now.
"This brand new SEN school, over two sites at Wolsey Park and Chetwood respectively, will not remove the entire backlog of SEN places in south Essex - but it will take a big bite out of it."