A new state-of-the-art school for children with special educational needs has reached its latest milestone.

Nottinghamshire County Council representatives and partners gathered at the former Ravensdale School site in Mansfield to mark the completion of the building’s main structure, with the roof also in place.

To be known as Horizons Academy and run by Diverse Academies Trust, the purpose-built school will have capacity for up to 160 pupils across the seven-19 age range.

Due to open by spring term 2026, it will provide a specialist learning environment for children with social, emotional, and mental health needs.
The £30m project is part of a wider programme being delivered by the county council to create up to 490 additional special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) school places by 2026.

This will help to address the growing demand for more specialist school places across the county.

County Council leader, Councillor Sam Smith, said: “We are committed to meeting the needs of children and young people with SEND, and their families, and to providing much-needed special school places in Nottinghamshire.

“It is vital we invest in our future generations.”

David Cotton, Diverse Academies Trust chief executive officer, added: “We were delighted to attend the structure signing for Horizons Academy and it was a rare opportunity to leave an indelible mark within the building structure for future generations to come.

“It was also incredible to see how far the building works have progressed – Horizons is truly on track to deliver an exceptional learning environment for young people in the local community with special educational needs.”

The school is being designed, project and cost managed by Arc Partnership, a joint venture between Nottinghamshire County Council and SCAPE, with construction being undertaken by Morgan Sindall Construction.

Sara Williams, deputy managing director at Arc Partnership, said: “Horizons Academy is a special project for us.

“Particular attention has been given to how the design supports the particular needs of these young people, considering their movement around school and accommodating sensory zones and calm spaces to better support the pupils.

“It was great to celebrate the school’s progress and we look forward to seeing how it benefits pupils and the wider community.”

As well as the build, the £30m costs include additional costs such as furniture and equipment.