Students and staff at Yeoman Park Academy in Mansfield Woodhouse are enjoying their new state-of-the-art building.

The specialist facilities include a fully-equipped hydrotherapy pool, multi-use games area, sensory gardens, and a spacious hall — tailored to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The completion of the building at the Diverse Academies Trust school marks a major milestone in the academy’s history.

It was earmarked for redevelopment in 2021 under the Department for Education’s (DfE) schools rebuilding programme and is one of the first of 50 new builds across the country to be completed and ready for occupancy.

The four-year project brings to life a vision for unrivalled specialist school facilities and was funded by the DfE, with Nottinghamshire County Council making a significant investment, as part of its plans to create an additional 490 special school places by 2026.

Students have benefited from guided tours and a transitional period to help them settle in and navigate the much larger, purpose-built site. An additional 28 special school places have also been offered.

Principal Courtney Hoop said: “In January the academy was graded as outstanding in all areas by Ofsted, despite our old and tired building. We are now able to bring together outstanding facilities with our outstanding culture and offer the very best to our learners.

“Our curriculum and approach to reading was praised during the inspection, so with improved facilities we feel that the sky is the limit.”

Adam Harding, regional director of BAM, which delivered the project in collaboration with Novium Architects, added: “From immersive learning environments and intuitive design to therapy pools and assistive technology, every detail is shaped around making daily challenges easier and lives better.

“This isn’t just a building – it’s a space designed with purpose, empathy, and innovation.

“Understanding the vision behind it has inspired our team to deliver more than just construction; we’ve helped create a place where possibility becomes reality.”