Revamped school to provide more capacity for SEN pupils

Broomhill Junior School in Hucknall. Image credit: Google.
By Lauren Monaghan, Junior Local Democracy Reporter
Works to revamp a Hucknall junior school will provide more room for children with special educational needs after plans were approved by the district council.
The Department for Education submitted plans for various works to update Broomhill Junior School in Hucknall to Ashfield District Council in May 2024.
The school was identified for the DfE’s rebuilding programme due to its “severe and urgent condition”, according to planning papers.
The council granted plans for the demolition of the existing school, the construction of a new two-storey school building, and other works on Monday (January 13).
The new two-storey school building is proposed to be built to the southeast of the current single-storey building.
Once construction is completed, the existing single-storey school building will be demolished so that the school can continue operating while works take place.
The school has two year groups per year for children aged between seven and 11.
It has the capacity for up to 300 children, with 272 pupils registered as of March 2023.
There are currently 58 pupils who are understood to have special educational needs and disabilities (SEN). According to papers, the new development would “provide the capacity for up to 70 pupils with SEN who are embedded into the mainstream setting”.
Plans for the new school building fall on the existing multi-use games area (MUGA).
A temporary MUGA will be provided until a new one can be built, which will be sufficient for the school to meet its sports curriculum needs.
The development also includes new mini tennis and netball courts and the reinstatement of the 5v5 football pitch.
Farm paddocks, which keep animals such as cows, pigs, sheep and poultry at intervals are currently on site along with an outdoor learning area.
Both the paddocks and outdoor learning area will be kept.
New cycle parking expected to provide 32 spaces is also part of the plans.
Temporary access for the construction phase will be formed from Broomhill Road, passing to the rear of the Butlers Hill and Broomhill Children’s Centre.
According to the papers, an agreement between the children’s centre and the school means provision for children’s play will be temporarily made within the school grounds while construction is taking place.
No construction vehicles or deliveries will be able to arrive or depart the site during school drop-off and pick-up times, with weekday working hours being between 7.30am to 5.30pm and 8am to 1pm on Saturday.
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