Work to build a new school in Mansfield for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is progressing well.
To mark the first stages of this work, Nottinghamshire County Councillors and partners gathered at the site of the former Ravensdale School site in the town. It will have capacity for up to 160 pupils across the seven to 19 years age range.
It is being designed, project and cost managed by Arc Partnership, a joint venture between Nottinghamshire County Council and SCAPE, with construction being undertaken by Morgan Sindall. The school is expected to open in 2025.
Nottinghamshire County Council says the purpose-built facility will provide a specialist learning environment for children with social, emotional, and mental health needs.
Councillor Sam Smith, Cabinet Member for Education and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), explains why the council is investing £20 million into this project.
He said: “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.”
The project is part of a wider programme being delivered by the county council to create up to 490 additional SEND school places by 2026 to address the growing demand for more specialist school places across the county.
One of the partners who gathered at the site was David Cotton, chief executive officer for Diverse Academies Trust. He said: “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.”
Commenting on the project’s importance, Sara Williams, Head of Pre-Construction at Arc Partnership, said: “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, describes the environmental technologies being used for this project.
He said: “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 per cent, with more than 700 tonnes of CO2 saved on the project – that’s the equivalent to heating 260 homes annually.”
