Posted on 21st Mar
A £3m package to fund the expansion of three Nottinghamshire schools, including one in Mansfield, for the benefit of pupils with specialist educationalist needs has been approved by the county council.
Councillors gave the green light to the spending of the funds – £3.3m overall – at a Finance Committee as part of the council’s ambitious SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) programme.
The three schools to benefit are King Edward Primary School in Mansfield, Derrymount School in Daybrook and Newark Orchard School. The works will provide an extra 74 pupils places and additional features such as calm rooms and calm play areas.
Construction is expected to finish for all three schools by the winter. The projects contribute to the SEND programme’s aim to create an additional 375 school places across Nottinghamshire by 2026.
Chairman of the Finance Committee, Coun Richard Jackson, said: “It is good news that councillors on my committee have given the green light to this substantial sum to help youngsters with special educational needs receive an improved learning and classroom experience.
“Our excellent SEND programme is vital and will create nearly 400 new school places across Nottinghamshire over the next four years – the £3m signed off today for schools in Mansfield, Daybrook, and Newark is proof of our ambitions.
“This council is committed to providing good schools with sufficient places for all Nottinghamshire children, while at the same time spending wisely and aiming to continue to deliver a balanced budget for each of the next three years.”
Dan Maher, managing director of Arc Partnership; said: “This is great news. We’re extremely proud to be delivering the works to expand these three SEND schools which will continue to provide excellent education to young people in an environment where they can thrive.”
King Edward Primary will receive £695,380. This comprises the creation of a specialist satellite centre to create 24 places for autumn 2022. The work involves the remodelling of a 2- classroom separate building on site and addition of calm rooms, remodelling inside the main building, significant external play area works to the main playground, creating a calm play area at the back of the separate building, providing external canopies for shelter and shade, creating a forest area on the playing field, and works to the car park.
Newark Orchard School will receive £1,465,810. This involves expansion of the recently completed new school by construction of a 2-storey extension to the main building, which was planned into the original design, giving 3 additional classroom spaces plus associated play area and external works. This will provide 30 places for autumn 2022.
