ALL 19 of Essex’s special schools are now rated good or outstanding after a recent round of inspections.

The achievement comes after Ramsden Hall School, in Ramsden Heath, was rated good by Ofsted this month, having previously been put in special measures two years ago.

Ray Gooding, county councillor responsible for education, said: “Essex has some fantastic schools and I am delighted we are now in a position where every special school in the county is rated as good or outstanding.

“I would like to thanks pupils, staff and parents for their continued hard work and commitment.

“Despite this success, we are not complacent and are working closely with the Essex Special School Education Trust to ensure pupils continue to receive the best possible education and the needs of every child are met.”

Essex County Council plans to spend about £80million over the next three to five years creating new special school places.

The money will be used to create 95 extra spaces at Glenwood School, Thundersley, which will be relocated to a new state-of-the-art building on the former Montgomerie Infant School site, in Rushbottom Lane.

The council is also in the process of setting up eight new autism support centres at mainstream schools in Essex for September, along with four special school hubs.