In June, Discovery Special Academy, on Sandy Flatts Lane in Middlesbrough, welcomed the installation of its new secondary department.
The building will be home to 70 new secondary students aged 11-16 with special educational needs and disabilities and is an extension of the already existing primary academy which opened in September 2018. Since then, Discovery Special Academy has added nursery and now secondary to its very successful provision.
With over 1.6 million pupils in England now registered as having special educational needs (SEN)[1], the much-needed additional spaces made available via Discovery Special Academy will support pupils’ educational, therapeutic and medical needs in the Teesside area.
Currently, students are placed in temporary accommodation on the site of one of Discovery’s sister academies, and this new provision designed and delivered by Portakabin will allow all students, carers and teaching staff of Discovery Special Academy primary and new additional secondary school to be located on one site.
Comprising eight dedicated SEND teaching classrooms and shared teaching spaces, the new academy building will also feature a music and drama room, art classrooms and food tech rooms, as well as a hall and an area for sensory integration therapy.
Jennifer Duncan, Executive Head Teacher, Discovery Special Academy and SEND comments: “When we started this project with Portakabin, we were entering into a new world of construction and learning about MMC. We needed a company who could design and deliver a bespoke, high-quality building to serve the academic and therapeutic needs of our growing academy community in a tight timescale.
“And I am delighted that we found Portakabin.
“The level of care, quality and professionalism throughout has ensured that together, we are on track to deliver this complex project on time. It is a privilege to have been part of such a dedicated team who listened, and who understood the needs of the clients. Students will thrive in this new environment and staff will be able to continue to deliver excellence of provision for years to come.
“It will also continue to benefit the wider community, breaking down barriers and supporting the vision for a truly inclusive Tees Valley. We are incredibly excited about taking ownership of the building in a few weeks and I know the students will love every aspect of this innovative and collaborative design.”
Thanks to the entire school building being manufactured using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), the custom designed modules were precision built by Portakabin at its manufacturing facility in York and successfully transported in convoy and installed in Middlesbrough in June.
Over a five-day period, 30 modules were craned seamlessly into place, much to the delight of the current primary school students, who watched avidly from their classroom windows each day!
Jamie Blogg, Contract Sales Manager at Portakabin comments: “It’s essential to us at Portakabin that we create a school that is not only attractive, but more importantly provides a flexible and safe environment that is welcoming not only to its pupils and staff, but also to parents, carers and the wider Teesside community.
“It’s brilliant that the team here at Portakabin can be part of the Academy’s growth journey and we can’t wait to welcome the students and teachers to their new learning space later this year.”
Discovery Special Academy will also have new car parking provisions for visitors and staff, alongside multiple mini-bus bays and a dedicated ambulance bay. The single-storey modular building will be surrounded by an external courtyard and landscaped playing field and will link to the current primary school with a covered walkway.
[1] Special educational needs in England, Academic year 2023/24 - Explore education statistics - GOV.UK (explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk)
