WORK is now complete on a £5.5million refurbishment project at Elmbrook School in Leicester.
City Mayor Peter Soulsby and assistant city mayor for education, Cllr Elaine Pantling, joined headteacher Nicola Anderson at the site on Nether Hall Road last week for the official opening of the refurbished school.
Since contractors moved onto site in May 2023, the old building that formerly housed the Nether Hall special school has been fully refurbished, creating a new home for pupils previously based at the Phoenix Centre pupil referral unit at Thurnby Lodge.
Internal remodelling has created modern classrooms and new food tech and laboratory space, while outside the multi-use games area has been improved, roofs have been replaced and new perimeter fencing installed.
The eco-friendly building now incorporates a range of energy efficiency measures, including increased levels of insulation, electric heating, passive ventilation, low energy LED lighting, and low water usage toilets and taps.
Students were able to move into the newly renamed Elmbrook School in September 2024 – but the City Mayor’s visit last week was an opportunity for a formal opening ceremony.
“The completion of this scheme demonstrates our commitment to providing modern, fit-for-purpose facilities that will help all our children get the most out of school and achieve their full potential,” said City Mayor Peter Soulsby.
“I’m very pleased that this refurbished building now provides the optimal surroundings for Elmbrook’s pupils to feel safe and supported while they learn.”
Head teacher Nicola Anderson said: “We are absolutely delighted to have finally moved into our new school.
“The children attending Elmbrook School have not always had positive experiences of education, and we are so pleased that our fabulous new facilities show how much we value them. We spent many hours with Stepnells, and the property team, fine-tuning the design to ensure we have a school we can all be proud of, and that enriches the educational experience our pupils receive now and into the future.”
Assistant city mayor Cllr Elaine Pantling, who leads on education, added: “Elmbrook School fulfils a key role in supporting young people to return to mainstream education, so I’m really pleased that we have been able to invest in this programme of improvements and create a modern learning environment that will give these children the second chance they deserve.”
Elmbrook School’s refurbishment was funded through Leicester City Council’s capital programme and delivered by contractors Stepnell.
The school provides short or long-term placements for children aged 5-11 who have been permanently excluded or are at risk of exclusion from mainstream education.
Focused intervention and intensive support provided by staff at the school offers children a chance to flourish in a nurturing, learning environment, where they gain strategies that prepare them for a successful return to their old school or a transition to a new school placement.
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Picture caption: City mayor Peter Soulsby and assistant city mayor Cllr Elaine Pantling (second left) join headteacher Nicola Anderson (left) and co-headteacher Zaheera Omar-Davies to open the refurbished school building on Nether Hall Road.