A new special educational needs (SEN) school for Gateshead Council
We have completed our first project for Gateshead Council with the delivery of a £12m new school for children with special educational needs.
The new purpose-built SEN institute will accommodate 170 pupils who have multiple learning disabilities as well as complex communication and medical needs.
The centre was procured via Scape Major Works UK, part of the Scape National Construction framework, for which we were awarded sole contractor in 2017.
Gateshead Council engaged Wates via this framework to work together with their in-house design team, to ensure that employment and skills opportunities for local people were maximised and that the building of the school was completed in February half term 2021.
The bespoke one storey building has been specially designed to incorporate the needs of the children. The building will house 21 classrooms that will all open out onto play areas.
Alongside classrooms the school includes:
- A hydrotherapy pool with hoists that can take pupils directly from changing beds to the water
- An internal sheltered courtyard so children can play outdoors in all weather
- A multi-use games area with accessible gym equipment and separate play areas for key stage 1 and 2 and early years children
- Extensive landscaped area outside with fruit trees
- Two halls one for dining and recreation and one for PE and
performances - Sensory and soft play rooms
- Specialist changing facilities
- Offices for physiotherapy
The majority of the building has been completed during the Covid pandemic. Wates have managed throughout the most difficult time to keep on track and when the timescales have slipped during the worst lockdown periods they worked tirelessly to catch up, and indeed, succeeded.”
Judith Donovan
Headteacher, Gibside School
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