Shrewsbury's new purpose-built SEND school opens doors to learners
Parents, teachers and students of a new special school gathered for a sneak peek at the state-of-the-art facilities on Tuesday.
The Keystone Academy at Bowbrook in Shrewsbury threw open its doors for the first time on Tuesday, to give the families of 70 pupils a look at the new special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) school.
The new school, which will accommodate up to 120 neurodivergent pupils aged four to 16 with a range of social, emotional and mental health needs, will officially open on Wednesday.
The opening of The Keystone Academy marks the final stage of a project that included Bowbrook Primary School and the SEND school after both were given planning approval in September 2022.
The school features a range of modern and inclusive educational facilities including outdoor learning areas, a variety of sensory spaces and a colour palette that research shows supports and soothes neurodivergent learners.
Councillor Kirstie Hurst-Knight, Cabinet Member for Children and Education said: “I am delighted to see The Keystone Academy now opening its doors at its new purpose-built school and welcoming its first pupils.
“This is an exciting development that will enable Shropshire children with SEND to access high quality specialist provision within the community of Shropshire and will support children to prepare effectively for life as an adult.
“The academy is one of several projects we are investing in to secure high-quality and sustainable provision of primary and secondary places in the town and surrounding areas.
“With the number of pupils with SEND requirements – both in Shropshire and nationally – rising steadily, this is a fantastic opportunity to build a school which caters for the needs of those pupils. It will also complement the provision already in place in the county.
“This is a fantastic new chapter in our development to future-proofing school placements, in particular for our SEND children and young people, for the foreseeable future.
“I’d like to wish all pupils and staff the very best on their first week at their brand new school.”
Shropshire Council applied for and secured Department for Education (DfE) funding for a SEND Free School.
After a competitive process, the Youth Engagement Schools Trust secured DfE approval to operate the school. The council will continue to commission places at the school.
Headteacher, Ali Bellaby, said: “I am delighted to be opening our bran -new school, with a wonderful environment which is purpose-built for the needs of our fabulous pupils.
"For those children (and staff) who joined The Keystone Academy in our temporary school last academic year, this is both incredibly exciting and a bit nerve-wracking, as change can be scary.
"Now we are finally in the school, the opportunities we can build and create are endless. Inspiring our learners will continue to be at the very heart of our practice and with fabulous facilities, we will be able to maximise the learning potential for all of our learners, adapting to their individual needs. This is such an exciting time!”
