A BRIGHT new future faces Welburn Hall, the North Yorkshire County Council special school near Kirkbymoorside, after a long period of uncertainty.

Taking it forward is its new headteacher, David Coram who has been the deputy head for 16 years.

Mr Coram, originally from Stockport, Cheshire, started his teaching career in Staffordshire in a secondary modern school then went to work with what was then known as The Spastics Society - now Scope - in Sussex.

From then on all his teaching appointments have been in residential schools working with physically disabled youngsters.

Welburn Hall, a former mansion owned by the Shaw family, has been educating handicapped children aged eight to 18, since 1951.

It currently has 36 pupils though it can accommodate 48.

Mr Coram said: "We have 21 pupils in residence through a flexible boarding system.

That is an area we want to develop, to become more flexible, looking at social and respite care."

Welburn Hall was under threat of closure 15 years ago but a massive campaign brought about a change of heart by the education authority. In the past 10 years it has undergone reviews and after coming out of the consultation process, has "a very clear role" said Mr Coram, who succeeded its previous longserving head, Vic Hall.

While Welburn Hall is designated as a special school for the Ryedale and Scarborough area, it also has a county-wide brief for residential care, he said.

"We want to develop links with colleagues in mainstream education and to work with the local community, encouraging them to get involved with Welburn Hall, " said Mr Coram.

"A lot of people know Welburn Hall exists, but few have been here."

They will have an opportunity to see the school in action in its splendid setting of 20 acres and manorial rooms, on Thursday, March 22 when an open afternoon is being held from 1.30pm.

A range of activities are to be staged, said Mr Coram, who asks that anyone who would like to attend should ring the school on 01751 431218 to enable the school to cope with numbers.

Mr Coram, a married man with two grown up sons, lives in Kirkbymoorside and prides himself on keeping fit - running, cycling - and even walking nearly a mile to the school each day.

He sees Welburn Hall developing its teaching service to cater for physical, medical and sensory needs. "It is an area we have always provided for and we aim to develop partnerships so we can support that role. We want to achieve specialist school status in those areas, " added Mr Coram.

"Our aim is to be a centre of excellent in our field in North Yorkshire."

Welburn Hall is currently one of 11 such schools in the county but the number is set to be reduced in the future, with Welburn remaining in its new, strengthened role.

Its pupils travel from as far as Bradford and Selby because of its reputation, though the majority are from the Ryedale and Scarborough districts.

One of Mr Coram's ambitions is to raise £100,000 to develop the school's technology facilities - a scheme which follows the recent revamping of its science complex, and during the forthcoming Easter holiday, the maths accommodation is also to be given a new look.

"Welburn certainly has a buoyant future which will be to the benefit of our pupils."