Morgan Sindall Construction’s Essex business has successfully handed over the specialist educational needs (SEN) Castledon School, which is part of Zenith Trust, to Essex County Council (ECC).
To celebrate the project’s completion, the Morgan Sindall project team, Cllr Tony Ball, MP Mark Francois, other ECC representatives, and families gathered to the school on 17 October to listen to speeches, enjoy refreshments, and tour the school’s extension.
To help meet the county’s growing demand for specialist educational support spaces, Morgan Sindall has extended the school’s facilities for students in the local area aged between 5-19 living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), moderate learning difficulties, and other special educational needs.
The completed development consists of 11 multi-purpose classrooms, including a sports hall, food tech classroom, science lab, art studio, therapy and physio facilities, a calm room, MUGA area, library, and office space for teaching staff. In collaboration with architects and MEP designers Ingleton Wood and structural designers Superstructures, the extension has increased the school’s capacity from 82 students to 196.
To make a positive impact on the community throughout construction, Morgan Sindall gave six Castledon School students aged 17-19 the opportunity to gain hands-on experience on-site across five weeks. As a result, one student has been offered additional work experience at another Morgan Sindall led project, Glenwood Sixth Form in South Benfleet.
Morgan Sindall is also collaborating with contractor GSQ Brickwork to support four additional work experience students interested in careers in bricklaying. This has involved an invitation to pupils from Castledon SEN School to tour their training facility.
Additionally, the project team delivered several construction activities to engage with local Key Stage One students and attended two careers fairs to showcase the array of career opportunities in the construction industry.
Leveraging its Intelligent Solutions approach, Morgan Sindall used CarboniCa to monitor and control carbon output throughout works. As a result, 70% of the property’s roof now features photovoltaic (PV) panels which enable the school to achieve net zero in operation.
Ryan Liversage, Area Director for Morgan Sindall Construction in Essex, said: “How fantastic it is to celebrate the opening of Castledon School’s exceptional SEN facilities. It means a great deal to enhance the next generation’s educational experience through our work, creating a space where students feel safe and supported.
“We’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with Essex County Council from start to finish and look forward to seeing the community enjoy the development for years to come.”
Councillor Tony Ball, Cabinet Member for Education Excellence, Lifelong Learning and Employability, said: “This is an exciting milestone and part of our ongoing efforts to create more much-needed school places for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities. We’re committed to ensuring that every child receives a high-quality education in an environment that meets their individual needs and I look forward to hearing how pupils are enjoying these new facilities.”
Helen Clements, Senior Social Value Manager for Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “This project has been an incredible opportunity to help SEND students get their foot in the door of the construction industry and discover the world of careers at their fingertips. It’s meant a lot to connect with the community throughout works to make this possible.
“The employability rate for individuals with learning disabilities is very low, at 4.8% nationally and 4.5% in Essex, that’s why it’s so important to offer SEND students opportunities like this and advocate for their bright, fulfilling futures.”
Simon Holliday, Headteacher at Castledon School, said: “We are deeply thankful to Essex County Council for investing in our school and commissioning this wonderful project. The new facilities will make a huge difference to our students, giving us the space to deliver a broad and ambitious curriculum that helps every young person to thrive. I’d also like to thank Morgan Sindall, who have been a delight to work with and have delivered a high-quality build, as well as the central team at Zenith Multi Academy Trust and the team at Castledon School for their hard work and commitment throughout.”
