Ashe Construction has been awarded a multi-million-pound contract to construct a new SEND school in Potters Bar, Hertfordshire.

Hertfordshire County Council is working in partnership with the Agora Trust to deliver 60 new special school places for primary-aged pupils with complex communication and autism needs through the development of the new Journeys Academy.

According to government statistics there are over 1.7 million pupils in England with special educational needs, an increase of 93,700 since 2024.

And, of these pupils, around 42,000 attend Hertfordshire schools, up from 39,000 in 2024.

This development is part of the county council’s strategy to increase SEND provision in Hertfordshire to meet increasing need through a variety of schemes.

This includes large-scale building projects, such as Journeys Academy, the creation of satellite provision of existing special schools, and the development of specialist resource provisions and SEND units attached to mainstream schools.

The project is on the site of the former Sunny Bank School, where Ashe will create 10 new classrooms with additional rooms for practical activities, a library, and ICT room.

Holmes Miller is the architect for the project, which is designed to be Net Zero Carbon in Operation.

A green roof will contribute to biodiversity in the area and make the building more sustainable.

The project has been procured under the Pagabo Medium Works framework.

Ashe has a growing portfolio of education projects providing SEND facilities, including the £16.9m Valley SEND School in Stevenage, also for Hertfordshire County Council.

Other education projects include a recently-completed £17.3m project to upgrade Sandy Upper School in Bedfordshire; and a major development at Milton Keynes East under a £24m contract to create a new primary school and community health hub.