Work to build a new school in Mansfield for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) is progressing.

To mark the first stages, Nottinghamshire County councillors and partners gathered at the site of the former Ravensdale School site in the town.

The new school will have capacity for up to 160 pupils across the seven to 19 years age range. Expected to open in 2025, 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 council, which is investing £20m in the purpose-built facility, said it would provide a specialist learning environment for children with social, emotional, and mental health needs.

Coun Sam Smith, cabinet member for Education and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) 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, which will run the school. He added: “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.”

Richard Fielding, area director for Morgan Sindall Construction in the Midlands, 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.”