Work continues at the all Through School in Kempston, Bedfordshire, for Bedford Borough Council, which is due to open in phases from August 2024.
Over the past four years, Bedford Borough Council has seen an increase of 18% in the number attending SEND schools. This new facility will be one of the largest SEND facilities in the country, providing specialist care and enabling families in the local area to have their children educated closer to home.
Located on part of the site of the former Robert Bruce School, which will be demolished at a later date, the new school will provide SEND support to 200 pupils (aged 3-19 years) with over 40 classrooms.
Due to the nature of the school, many children require assisted travel by minibus or taxi, so the provision of a separate in and out parking system and efficient drop off areas are essential to the overall design. Drop off bays will be located directly outside the main entrance to the school, with 22 spaces allocated specifically for minibuses.
Facilities will include:
The site is directly in a bat flight path with up to 12 different species of bat identified roosting and commuting in the area. Working with an ecologist, special measures are being taken to protect the mammals and mitigate the impact on them, including installing bat boxes, managing lighting during construction, maintaining commuting routes along woodland edges where possible, and replacing any lost habitats with native trees and shrubs.
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