Hundreds of specialist job roles are to be created at a new school and centre of special educational needs and disability when it opens this autumn.
Abbey School will open in Chester's historic Abbey Square in September, and be staffed by an expert trans-disciplinary team, working with children and young people with exceptional needs.
The day and residential school will have up to 75 places for children and young persons aged four to 19 years.
It will cater for pupils with a diagnosis of autism and/or severe learning difficulties, who may display behaviour of concern or behaviour that challenges families and services.
According to the school, it will create over 200 highly-skilled jobs.
Dr Katy Lee, principal at Abbey School, said: “Our highly-trained trans-disciplinary team is our most valuable resource in ensuring that pupils reach their best possible outcomes.
"Ensuring that we have the best team in place to nurture and develop the potential of every student and deliver an outstanding educational experience, is key to our vision.
“Supporting our pupils, their families, and our community, we are working hard to deliver an agenda that is socially significant and relevant and we’re delighted to be opening out these hugely rewarding career opportunities.
"These roles offer the chance to positively impact young peoples’ lives and enrich their educational experience within a best practice setting, where wellbeing of students and staff is a key priority."
Staff will be permanently based on-site, and will offer a number of therapies.
The new job roles will include social care staff, qualified teachers, behaviour analysts, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, learning mentors, and subject specialists - ensuring students have access to the right support they need at the right times.
Dr Lee added: “Our school model includes a comprehensive in-house training programme for staff, designed in strategic partnership with leading researchers, plus external training and postgraduate study opportunities and offers the potential to progress and develop a career within a highly innovative educational environment which will set an exemplar standard.”
The school will invest over £1m in research, development, evaluation, and training - working closely with the leading universities to introduce innovative approaches that give young people an outstanding educational experience which enables them to thrive.
The Dean of Chester, the Very Revd Dr Tim Stratford said: “Chester Cathedral is delighted with all that this development promises and we are pleased to welcome the Abbey School for Exceptional Children here.
"This school is a benefit to families across the city and county and I am sure it will enrich our society through the children who gain a place.”
Other key initiatives being developed by the school include the creation of a new App, which will enable the school to evaluate and ensure the wellbeing of all school users, and help to ensure optimum effectiveness of teaching and high levels of engagement across all year groups.
