Groundbreaking ceremony for new SEND school

Children with special educational needs in Brent are about to benefit from a £22 million, ultra-sustainable school in the borough.

Brent Council has appointed construction company, Reds10, to build Wembley Manor School that is due to open its doors in September next year. The 150-place school will be a state-of-the art specialist school specifically designed for neurodiverse children.

Councillor Gwen Grahl, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, said: “Wembley Manor will be a much-needed school providing specialist SEND provision for neurodivergent children.

“We have seen increasing demand for special provision in the borough, with the number of children needing Education, Health and Care Plans increasing by around 10 percent every year over the past decade. Around 40 percent of these children have an autism spectrum disorder.

“This school will mean more children can be educated closer to home, providing better accessibility and stronger community networks.”

Wembley Manor School is part of Brent’s SEND capital investment programme, which will deliver over 400 SEND places across the borough by 2025. This will reduce the need to send children to schools outside of the borough, saving up to £6 million each year against the Dedicated School Grant.

Designed to be BREEAM Outstanding, which is the highest sustainability rating, the school will provide high-quality SEND teaching spaces, external play areas, sports facilities, soft and hard landscaping, car parking and drop-off facilities.

The three-storey, 3,801 m2 facility will be located on London Road. The school will be manufactured utilising Reds10’s pioneering offsite factory facility in East Yorkshire before being transported to London Road to be assembled on site to exacting standards.