New classrooms for Castle School, Newbury

West Berkshire Council is investing £2.6m to create the much-needed classroom provision for children aged 2-19 with severe learning difficulties, many who also have physical disabilities and sensory needs.

The new building will replace the former caretaker's house, which has not been used for many years, and will deliver much needed resources for young people with acute needs and help meet demand for special educational needs and disability (SEND) school places which has increased significantly in the past five years.

Heather Codling, West Berkshire's Executive Member for Children and Family Services said,

"This is a really important project which will help us to reduce the number of local children with SEND who are currently placed in private or cross border facilities. This will not only make the lives of children and families much easier but will reduce costs and enable us to continue to invest in SEND."

The project, which was given planning approval in July 2024 will provide four new classrooms with break-out and small group rooms and associated welfare facilities, including a full wet-room. It will be sustainably heated via Air Source Heat Pumps and has been designed to meet BREEAM 'Excellent' in line with the Council's Zero Carbon 2030 targets.

EW Beard Construction has begun preparing the site for the build which is due for completion by early December 2025. Specialist equipment will be fitted ready for the first students in early January 2026.