OUR NEW SCHOOL

These are very exciting times for our school. In 2017 Derbyshire County Council (DCC) committed over £12m to build a brand-new school. The school has been in the unique position of being able to work with DCC to deliver a school which meets the needs of our pupils. After an open tender process, architects Curl la Tourelle Head were chosen to design the school.  After many months of discussion and negotiation the final design was submitted to planners and approval was granted in October 2019. Work on the new site began in October 2020 and completion is expected Autumn 2021.

Headteacher Cheryl Smart and Councillor Alex Dale alongside pupils and representatives from the construction company, Henry Brothers

During the design process our pupils’ needs have been central. Alongside the classrooms and shared spaces, we have also incorporated a number of specialist therapy rooms including soft play, rebound and sensory. We believe that these rooms, alongside our pool, will play a vital part in our pupil’s journey through school, helping them to be the best they can be.

Fundraising

We never stop striving to provide the best for our pupils and we want to ensure that the new school is able to deliver exactly what our pupils need to support their learning. We have launched a Buy a Brick campaign in order to provide our pupils with an immersive sensory room in the new school. An Immersive Environment provides the most beneficial multi-sensory experience for all levels of ability and learning. Immersive environments, allow for a calming and engaging place to develop key skills and encourage interaction for all users.

Please support our campaign by donating £20, £50, £100, £500 or £1,000. Each level of donation has a different level of benefit. Please head to our Virgin Giving page to Buy a Brick

Click below to go to our page

£20 Single brick in our virtual wall with your name.

£50 Single brick and a special message in our virtual wall.

£100 Double Gold brick includes your name special message and a photo in our virtual wall.

£500 Row of brick Everyone who purchases a virtual row of bricks will have the opportunity to have their chosen name acknowledged within the entrance of the new school.

£1,000 Virtual Wall Everyone who purchases a virtual wall will have the opportunity to have their chosen name, special message and photo (logo) in the entrance of our new school.

New School Fundraising Thank-you

Amber Valley Rotary Club

We are extremely grateful for the fundraising efforts of Amber Valley Rotary Club who have raised a phenomenal £50K which will pay for outdoor gym equipment which will be located in our Primary and Secondary play areas. This equipment will not only provide our pupils with something to play with during their breaks it will support the Move programme.

Headteacher Cheryl Smart and School Business Manager Rebecca Dallman together with Amber Valley Rotary Neil Vaughn and donors

The school is dedicated to enabling our pupils gain independent movement. We do this through improving strength and stability. This gym equipment will provide more opportunities to do this through play. It will extend the work we do with our class teams. The results of this work are clear to see…….

When Somercotes food manufacturer Griffith Foods found out about the work we in do, they asked what they could do to help. In addition to committing £45K to equip our Food Technology Room in the new school, they have also offered to support the school in the coming months and years with our ambitions in providing our pupils with the skills they need to live as independently as possible.

Deputy Head Josie O’Donnell and School Business Manager Rebecca Dallman homing their cooking skills in the Griffith Foods kitchen

The ever wonderful, Friends of Alfreton Park have raised over £5K which will be used to create sensory garden. The Friends continuing to raise money for this amazing space. Please head to our Friends pay if you would like to Fund a Flower or Buy a Bulb.

We are extremely moved that the family of one of our pupils, who sadly passed away, wanted to raise money for the school. They tirelessly worked to raise an amazing £5K. This money will go towards the Trampoline Room which is situated at the heart of the new school.

After a successful grant application, The Bailey Foundation have pledged a further £10K which will be ringfenced to go towards the Trampoline Room.

Progress so far.....