By Jamie Waller, Local Democracy Reporter
A newly-approved Nottinghamshire school for children with special educational needs and disabilities will set an example of how to run similar schools, local leaders say.
The new educational facility will be built by Nottinghamshire County Council on Ravensdale Road in Mansfield.
Approval was unanimously given by the council’s planning committee on Tuesday (March 12).
The purpose-built facility will take up to 160 children between seven and 19 years old with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other social, emotional and mental health difficulties.
It will provide flexible facilities which are specially-designed for learners with autism or other special needs.
Councillor Philip Owen (Con) said: “If any application is a good news story, it’s this one. There is considerable demand for special school places which the council has been trying to meet for years.
“I’m delighted to see it’s reached this stage, and look forward to it being opened. It will be a great benefit to the county and its young people.”
The site is on land which used to be home to Sherwood Hall School. The previous school buildings on the site were demolished in 2012, and the secondary school has since moved over Sherwood Hall Road and become Samworth Church Academy, leaving the old site still empty.
Councillor Chris Barnfeather (Con) said: “Although local residents may be accustomed to it being accessible, the site was never designed to be an open green space.
“It’s being returned to its original purpose, and I can think of no better purpose than a well-designed special school that will serve Mansfield and the surrounding communities extremely well.
“The design is excellent. It’s an exemplar for this type of facility.”
Officers from the council’s Children and Families Department said the school’s classrooms were specifically designed to meet learners’ needs.
“Children may be over or under-sensitive to light, sound, taste and touch, so it’s essential the classrooms are as flexible as possible,” they told the committee.
“Each classroom has direct access to the outdoors, where the calming effect of natural spaces and fresh air can provide a positive environment.
“This unique design will provide the same ambitions for these young people as any other school in the county. They will have the opportunity to study from Key Stage Two right the way through to A Levels, including vocational subjects.”
Around 40 per cent of all Nottinghamshire children with SEND live in Mansfield and Ashfield, although the school will welcome pupils from across the county.
