NEED
Following the 2017 inspection of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) across the city, Hull Esteem was appointed by Hull City Council to produce a SEND Sufficiency Strategy. This identified the need for more variety of learning environments so SEND children could get the additional support they need to access mainstream settings.
STRATEGY
As the strategy’s delivery vehicle, Esteem undertook an initial feasibility study to understand where the additional SEND provisions could be located within existing schools across the city.
Wansbeck Primary School put forward an expression of interest to facilitate one such provision and was selected as an appropriate base for a 12-pupil SEND resource.
The school had capacity within its existing building to be able to accommodate the base, after identifying an underutilised area that could be repurposed to suit the SEND cohort.
Esteem led on the design, delivery, contract, and project management of the project in alignment with not only the school’s individual requirements, but wider SEND specifications that would inform decisions throughout the process.
Utilising local Supply Partners Hobson & Porter, the project was successfully delivered over an 8-week programme of works throughout the summer, enabling the new intake of pupils to occupy the space come the new academic year.
IMPACT
An existing, underutilised part of the school has been transformed into an open space learning environment, with a sensory area and reflection room, as well as refurbished toilet facilities and an outdoor play space.
The remodelling of the existing school has brought all the children together under one roof to receive the right learning resources in the right place.