ADVERTORIAL
Modular timber frame buildings providing flexible provision for SEND and SEMH
Sir Charles Parsons is a school for young people aged 11 to 19 who have a range of additional needs. The pressure on pupil numbers of all ages across Newcastle City was high so more space was needed in the main building. The solution was to create extra accommodation to form a separate post- 16 facility covering the complete curriculum. The net-zero modular building provides 4 classrooms as well as ancillary spaces. It is positioned next to another timber frame building from TG Escapes, which together create a self-contained area for 6th form students. The project was completed in 16 weeks at a cost of £1.1m.
Mountfield Heath is a SEMH Independent Special School for students with some complex and challenging needs. Facing increasing demand for placements they needed to increase their capacity. TG Escapes provided a building containing 2 classrooms and a room for children who have been out of education for a significant amount of time to provide a therapeutic pathway back into education. It also houses a sensory room, 2 therapeutic intervention spaces and a small kitchen to encourage independent skills in the home.
SEND Hub for Visually Impaired Students at Woking High School T
G Escapes modular eco-buildings have provided over 300 education buildings in various settings UK wide. Over the past few years there has been a significant increase in demand from special schools and for SEND provision in mainstream schools.
Those working in SEND and SEMH report that a timber frame building using natural materials, with floor to ceiling windows and glazed doors, with easy access to the outdoors and covered walkways provide a particularly suitable environment.
A modular system allows each building to be architect designed accommodating many specific needs. Small rooms can be included for breakout spaces, treatment rooms and sensory rooms, as can accessible toilets, ramps and kitchens.
The natural materials, excellent acoustics and naturally lit interiors provide calming spaces which have a significant and positive impact on student and staff well-being.
Executive Head, Lyndsey Jefferies:
Woking High School needed a SEND hub for the visually impaired. TG Escapes created a specialist 3-classroom block, working with Ecophon to ensure the acoustic performance of the classroom exceeded the requirements set out in the Acoustic Design of Schools SEN Standards.
Beacon Hill School is North Tyneside’s specialist provision for children with severe learning difficulties that include Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities and Autism. The brief from North Tyneside Council was to create a bespoke, stand-alone facility capable of accommodating 60 pupils. The building provides 10 classrooms including 2 PMLD bases, hygiene rooms, a staff room and a sensory room as well as ample storage for specialist equipment.
“The natural materials change the feel of it and I think for a modular build it feels really solid and robust. The other thing is all the rooms have got lots of light, but there has been careful consideration about it. Often the ceilings in modular builds are very low so you feel very enclosed, but our ceilings are of a really good height which gives a feeling of space. A lot of our children suffer from sensory processing issues and so the lighting and the feel of a space are very important, as are the acoustics. The acoustics in our building are very good. Although many modular builds are very echoey ours is not because of the ceiling tiles which are different to the rest of the school.
What works very well are the verandas. Having the decking coming straight off the front, that indoor/outdoor space works very well with our children.”
Modular Timber Frame Classrooms for SEMH at Mountfield Heath
For more information and case studies: 0800 917 7726
info@tgescapes.co.uk
www.tgescapes.co.uk
60 place SEND provision at Beacon Hill September 2025
www.education-today.co.uk 41
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