Brief
We were asked to provide a new 80 place, 2 storey Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) school.
The school was identified as 1 of 4 new dedicated Special Educational Needs (SEN) facilities within Suffolk County Council’s Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) programme. Our team were proud to provide Suffolk with its first SEMH school, Sir Bobby Robson School, and looked to use the experience and knowledge gained from this project to create another successful SEMH school. Sir Bobby Robson School was recognised in the 2021 SPACES and CIAT – AT Awards.
Key Info
Location:
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Project Type:
New Build
Client:
Suffolk County Council — Children and
Young People (CYP)
Contractor:
Morgan Sindall
Project Completion:
September 2022
Project Value:
£8 million
Contract Type:
JCT Standard
Disciplines:
Architecture; Building Services Design; Interior Architecture; Landscape Architecture; Project Management; Quantity Surveying + Cost Consultancy; Structural + Civil Engineering
Imagery
Scope
It was necessary for the school to meet BB104 guidelines and accommodate class sizes of 6-8 pupils, aged between 9 and 16 years old.
We held regular meetings with Unity Schools Partnership to ensure their specialist requirements were met.
In addition to designing a safe space for the pupils, our team wanted to deliver a school which would be an exciting place where the children looked forward to going. A welcoming entrance area greets pupils, staff, and visitors attending the site. The high-quality design makes the best use of the space available, with corridors and every classroom having a separate quiet space for one-on-one time if needed. This purpose-built school also includes sensory rooms with calming lighting and music. Key controlled areas and Kingsway doors (throughout the corridors) offer secure, robust, and functional surroundings. Our team engaged with Green Light Trust to discuss an area at the rear of the site which we proposed could be used as a forest school. This space will provide pupils with an outside educational setting which will help develop confidence.
Testimonial
“Throughout the second stage process and the construction of the school Concertus and Morgan Sindall have worked collaboratively to deliver a project we are all proud of for Suffolk County Council and the Unity Schools Partnership. It has been a pleasure to continue the relationship with Concertus, building on the experience of previous projects to bring this much needed facility to the local area.”
Steve Holt, Head of Operations, Morgan Sindall
Result
Sir Peter Hall School has made a positive impact within the Bury St Edmunds area by providing specialised SEMH facilities which offer individualised support for students.
The new school increases SEN capacity in the county, reducing the need for costly placements outside of Suffolk. Pupils and parents are delighted that they have this fantastic facility close to where they live.
Following an informal consultation, a decision was made to name the new school after theatre, opera, and film director, Sir Peter Hall. Sir Peter was born in Bury St Edmunds and founded the Royal Shakespeare Company.