New school building for special needs pupils opens at Arbour Vale School

Arbour Vale School officially opened its new modular building of four extra classrooms for 32 children with Special Educational Needs.

The number of special school places required for Slough’s children is rising year-on-year, as it is across the country. 

Last year Slough council agreed to invest more than £4million to add a new four-classroom block on the Arbour Vale School site, and build a new car park.

Without this investment, spaces would have to be found in out of area schools - which is more expensive for a local authority and less convenient for the children and their families.

The building is single storey, clad in wood and houses four 'bright and airy' classrooms fitted with 'the latest technology' to meet the sensory needs of the learners, including air conditioning and smart screens.

There are also washrooms and a dedicated outside play area to give children space and security.

Neil Sykes, principal of Arbour Vale School, welcomed visitors to the official opening and thanked all those who had helped turn the concept of the building into a reality. He said children had already moved in and were enjoying the new building and settling in well.

Staff from the school were joined by representatives from Slough council, Orchard Hill College Academy Trust (Abour Vale's trust), school governors, members of the school community and the contractors, who had all been involved in commissioning the building and making sure it was delivered to a high standard.

John Prior, CEO of Orchard Hill College Academy Trust, said: “It is a real privilege to see what goes on here and to extend it further.

“Our strategy is to grow our Good and Outstanding [rated] provisions like Arbour Vale School and build on what we have already got, because that is a sensible way to meet the needs of our community and our learners. Facilities like these make it easier.”

Dr John Wise, chair of the Arbour Vale local governing body, thanked staff and the leadership team for being so supportive of the project and said everyone should be rightly proud of the end result.

Councillor Dexter Smith, leader of Slough Borough Council, said: “This is a partnership project, and we were lucky to find a partner in Arbour Vale School who were willing to step up to the challenges of doing something very significant in a short timescale.

“I would like to thank the principal, the whole staff, governors, the trust, and staff from Slough Borough Council who have helped to make this project a success.”

After the ribbon was pulled, guests toured the classrooms and spoke to teachers. There was also an opportunity to meet Berkshire Birds of Prey, who work with pupils in school every week.