Mansfield school to be expanded with new SEND centre

Nottinghamshire Council will invest in the new facilities this year, with the project expected to create 74 new school places by autumn 2022.

King Edward Primary School and Nursery, St Andrew Street, Mansfield, will receive 24 places, with a specialist ‘satellite centre’ to be built on the 120-year-old school site.

The work will involve remodelling a two-classroom building and adding ‘calm rooms’. The inside of the school will also be reworked alongside play area improvements.

The work, which is expected to cost £695,380, is scheduled for completion by October or November.

Work to create 20 places at Derrymount School, Daybrook, includes a two-classroom modular building, while 30 places are planned for Newark Orchard School, Balderton, with a two-storey extension.

Members of the council’s finance committee approved the funding at their latest meeting.

Needed

Coun Andre Camilleri, who represents Mansfield South, said: “King Edward Primary falls into my division and it is really needed in Mansfield.

“I’m looking forward to seeing it, it will really add to the school – we do have special needs in Mansfield obviously, so it will be used and I welcome this report.”

Coun Anne Callaghan, member for Mansfield North, said: “From working with families with SEND children, there is much need for these places.”

But one councillor questioned why the Newark Orchard School works were not completed when the school went through its initial construction over the past few years.

Coun Tom Hollis, member for Sutton West, said: “How much more has it cost the taxpayers not to build this at the same time as the wider school?

“I struggle to believe building the classrooms when nobody was on-site was less of a disruption to children than building it now while they’re on-site.”

Coun Richard Jackson, committee chairman, said: “Rather than building something that’s over-provided at the beginning, the build at the first place is done in such a way to add to it. It’s designed to be extended once the need is actually there.

“It was always predicted to come, it has just come sooner than it might have done and I would dispute it has cost us any more.”

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