Work has begun on a new special school in Leicestershire. Bowman Academy will provide support for up to 65 pupils aged five to 16 with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs.
Based at the former site of St Botolph’s Primary School in Shepshed, facilities will include a Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) and a variety of classrooms, including science and art studios.
It will also feature a music room, a sensory / immersion room and a quiet, calming room, as well as a dedicated outdoor learning area and a car park and drop-off points.
The sustainably built school is being constructed by contractors Bowmer + Kirkland for the Department for Education and will be run by the Community Inclusive Trust (CIT), which heads up several schools including Foxfields Academy, a specialist SEMH school in Blaby.
A spokesperson for Bowmer + Kirkland said: “This is our tenth year of working for the DfE and we are delighted to be starting construction of the Bowman Academy, which will provide a sustainable and modern environment conducive to learning and developing the students of the academy.”
The school is being built using more sustainable methods, where ‘modules’ are constructed off-site and then assembled and installed on-site. This reduces waste, means less transportation is needed and uses renewable materials.
Bowman Academy is due to open in September 2024.
