Extra pupil capacity has been added to specialist school The Sky Academy in Taunton after a £4.9million expansion was formally opened.
Invited guests from Somerset Council, academy staff and governors, and representatives of the school’s parent trust Cabot Learning Federation attended a cake-cutting ceremony to unveil the extension this week.
The state-of-the-art building includes six new classrooms, breakout rooms, a science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) room, kitchenettes, and an activity space.
This expansion has enabled The Sky Academy to take pupils from years 5 and 6 and help increase their chance of long-term success beyond education.
Work on the project – funded by Somerset Council and carried out by Willmott Dixon – has taken two years and has been carefully planned to have the maximum positive impact on pupils’ learning.
This is important for The Sky Academy, which is a specialist school for boys with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs and speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).
It is currently the only school offering this specialism within the local area – as a result, its pupils attend from a wide catchment area.
The project also saw contractor Willmott Dixon work with students to teach them construction skills like bricklaying. Students took to the task so well, Wilmott Dixon later offered one of the Sky Academy students an apprenticeship at another local site, the Digital Innovation Centre in Taunton.
Speaking at the opening of the new block, The Sky Academy’s Headteacher Bex Jones told guests the expansion reflects a commitment by all parties to ensuring the right specialist provision is available for children with SEND within the communities that they live.
Bex Jones, Headteacher at Sky Academy, said: “We are very proud to be at the heart of Somerset’s SEND improvement strategy for young people with SEMH needs. This new facility has further enabled us to provide the aspirational challenge, nurture and education that Sky has become known for – championing the success and life chances of all children.
“We look forward to the next stage of this collaborative journey, alongside other schools within the Cabot Learning Federation Somerset hub.”
Councillor Tessa Munt, Executive Lead Member for Children and Families, said “At Somerset Council, we are committed to providing equal learning opportunities to all young people. It is fantastic to see this important project completed, ensuring even more children in Somerset can benefit from a specialist learning environment close to home.”
