THE newest SEND school in Ipswich – the £7m Woodbridge Road Academy – is tailored for 60 children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities and has been constructed under the Department for Education’s (DfE) MMC1 framework.
The school features 12 classroom suites and several learning resource areas, which will allow secondary-age pupils to be taught vital life skills. In addition, Woodbridge Road Academy boasts a well-equipped library, sensory rooms, main hall, dining area, and accessible bathrooms. Outside, a multi- use games area (MUGA) has been constructed for recreational activities – including use by the wider community. Beyond serving the student population, the layout of the school allows specific areas to be accessed by the community outside core school hours. This includes the main hall, accessible bathrooms, hygiene rooms and the outdoor MUGA, meaning that the wider community also benefits from the new facility.
The design also incorporates a ‘community lock’ feature, with Salto door lock systems on certain doors meaning that access to particular areas can be controlled by the school, providing additional levels of flexibility and security. Architecture and interior design teams from multi-disciplinary construction consultancy Pick Everard have worked closely with design and build contractor Bowmer + Kirkland, playing a pivotal role in delivering a carefully considered design fit for both pupil and community use. Paul Knifton, director at Pick Everard, said: “As with any school project with a variety of stakeholders, collaboration was at the heart of this project's success. We are pleased to have worked with Bowmer + Kirkland and Woodbridge Road Academy to create a new, purpose-built building that will transform the SEND provision in Suffolk.”