Willmott Dixon has started work in Okehampton, to deliver a new £10.7m SEMH school for children with special needs in West Devon, on behalf of Devon County Council
Procured using the SCF Framework, The Promise School will cater for up to 100 primary and secondary pupils with social, emotional, and mental health difficulties and on the autism spectrum.
The school will be run by the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust, which also runs across a number of primary schools in the area, and forms part of a £22m programme by Devon County Council to provide 300 extra places for vulnerable children with special needs across the county.
‘Providing the best possible education and care’
Devon County Council’s cabinet member for schools, Andrew Leadbetter, said: “Devon supports a higher-than-average number of children with special needs in our mainstream schools. But some of the most vulnerable children need to be educated in a special school.
“Our paramount concern is obviously to provide the best possible education and care for them. That’s why we are expanding the number of places we have available for children with special needs so they can be educated close to their homes and communities.”
‘A safe, robust and sustainable environment’
Rob Woolcock, director at Willmott Dixon commented: “Working with Devon County Council, we are delighted to be appointed to this vital project.
“We are committed to delivering the highest quality facilities for children with the most complex needs and this new school will enable them to receive support in their development within their local community.
“We have significant experience in delivering SEMH projects across the region and the construction of The Promise School will provide the pupils with a safe, robust and sustainable environment in which to learn and thrive.”
The new building is expected to be completed in the spring of 2023 but the school will open to its first pupils in September 2022 using temporary accommodation.
