New SEND school under construction in Mansfield
Councillors and project partners gather at site of new Nottinghamshire school that will support up to 160 pupils aged 7-19 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
Work is currently underway to build a purpose-built new school that will provide a specialist learning environment for children and young people in the Mansfield area who have social, emotional and mental health needs. It is expected to open in next year.
Photo courtesy of Nottinghamshire County Council
Nottinghamshire Country Council is investing £20m in the new school. The building has been designed and work is being project managed by Arc Partnership, a joint venture between the council and the not-for-profit SCAPE, which specialises in community-based procurement. Morgan Sindall is undertaking construction.
The new school is part of the council’s wider initiative to create up to 490 additional school places for pupils with SEND by 2026. Across the country, there is an urgent and growing demand for such specialist provision.
Cllr Sam Smith, Cabinet Member for Education and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) at Nottinghamshire County Council, says: ‘As a council, we are committed to meeting the needs of children and young people with SEND, and their families, and to providing much-needed special school places in Nottinghamshire. This is why we are investing in this new SEND school, so it’s great to see work progressing. It’s vital that every child in Nottinghamshire, no matter what their background, gets the best possible education, in the best possible setting.’
David Cotton, Chief Executive Officer for the Diverse Academies Trust, one of the partners involved in the new school project, adds: ‘It has been a privilege to be joined by colleagues and partners as we celebrate the first steps in creating an innovative new school building. This development reflects a significant investment in our region to support the needs of many families who require access to specialist educational facilities for their children. We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Department for Education and Nottinghamshire County Council on this project, and particularly extend our thanks to Arc Partnership and Morgan Sindall Group for their dedication in helping bring this incredible vision to life.’
Sara Williams, Head of Pre-Construction at the Arc Partnership, says: ‘We are supporting Nottinghamshire County Council in meeting its target of 490 new SEND school places by 2026 – an incentive that will make a real difference to many young people and their families across the county for years to come. Working in close partnership with the council and Morgan Sindall, the school is designed, cost and project managed by Arc Partnership, ensuring real value is delivered not only for the council but the local area as well.’
Richard Fielding, Area Director for Morgan Sindall Construction in the Midlands, adds: ‘In the spirit of looking to the future, we’re working with Arc Partnership to promote sustainable construction technologies within local communities. Our team and local supply chain have already been instrumental in reducing the project’s overall embodied carbon by 37%, with more than 700 tonnes of CO2 saved on the project – that’s the equivalent to heating 260 homes annually.’
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