Construction on new £19million Tameside primary school underway

WORK has started on building a state-of-the-art primary school in Mottram to provide 220 places for children with SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities).

The new Hawthorns Primary School has been commissioned by Tameside Council and is being constructed by Robertson Construction North West. Hawthorns School was originally designed to accommodate 60 pupils at its current site within Aldwyn Primary School, Audenshaw.

The standalone bespoke single-storey building, with an internal floor space of 4,038m², will comprise four early years classrooms, twelve classrooms dedicated to pupils with autistic spectrum disorder, and nine classrooms designed for pupils with moderate learning difficulties.

The school will also benefit from sensory gardens, and specialised teaching areas for art, drama, ICT, and life skills, along with a library, training and family room, and sports hall.  The site will also provide a modern Football Foundation specification grass pitch and a 3G pitch for use by the school and local community.

The building will be constructed to achieve the BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) Excellent rating, which sets best practice standards for the environmental performance of buildings. The energy efficient and sustainable design is part of Tameside working towards being Net Zero by 2038. With health and wellbeing in mind, the materials palette will be non-intimidating and calming.

Expected to complete in September 2024, the school will be managed by New Bridge Academy Trust on behalf of Tameside Council.

Learning Education Partnership – Inspired Spaces, directly appointed Robertson Construction to deliver Hawthorns Primary School on their behalf for Tameside Council.

Tameside Council Executive Member for Education, Achievement and Equalities, Councillor Leanne Feeley, said: “I’m delighted that work is underway on this state-of-the-art, energy efficient building that will provide a wonderful place for children with SEND to learn, develop and be happy.

“We are committed to investing in our children’s education, welfare and future. This significant investment will provide a purpose-built school with sufficient space to accommodate demand for places on one site and to serve future learners.

“Hawthorns Primary School is an outstanding school that’s very popular with parents. I can’t wait for the construction to be finished so that their pupils can make the most of these fantastic new facilities. The community will also benefit from the new, modern sports pitches.”

Dirk Pittaway, managing director, Robertson Construction North West, said: “The facility has been developed with input from both the school and Council, this has ensured that the building meets not only the needs of the Council but most importantly the end user.

“Having a student-centred approach inspired the design of the school, prioritising the need to foster an inclusive, user-friendly educational environment. The current school, plays an integral role in supporting educational provision for pupils within Greater Manchester and we look forward to enhancing the meaningful support they offer by delivering these facilities on behalf of Inspired Spaces.”

Pierre Coiffait, Hawthorns School’s Executive Headteacher, said: “The new Hawthorns school building is a positive testimony to the great things that can be achieved when the council, school, parents and families work together for the good of vulnerable pupils with SEND.

“This kind of co-production is hopefully an instructive model of how parents, schools and the council can together deliver better outcomes and experiences for our SEND children.”

Clare John, New Bridge Multi Academy Trust CEO, said: "This is an exciting development which represents a real opportunity to build upon the SEND offer within our local area, something that is very much needed.

“We look forward to seeing the progress and supporting Hawthorns with this expansion of their already outstanding offer for children with SEND in Tameside and Greater Manchester."