This is our first project update of 2021. We will send these newsletters out regularly, to keep you posted on developments. We hope you find them helpful and informative and if you have any feedback about what you would like included in them please email matthew.look@wiltshire.gov.uk.
Silverwood School
As we shared in our last newsletter North Wiltshire School is now called Silverwood School, and the three campuses are using their names of Trowbridge, Rowde and Chippenham campus. Last summer, as you will be aware, the governors appointed Sean McKeown as Interim Executive Headteacher for the new single school (Sean is pictured above holding the ‘S’ of Silverwood).
Following a full recruitment process and successful interview the Governing Board were pleased to announce last week that that they appointed Sean as the permanent Executive Headteacher for Silverwood School.
Since Sean started in post on 1 September he has been providing leadership across the school, working with pupils, leadership teams and staff, governors and the local authority to develop a vision for Silverwood’s future. Whilst one part of this is the new build work on the Rowde site, Sean has been leading on a wider programme of whole school development that will ensure we provide the best education for our children and young people across all three campuses. We look forward to continuing to work with Sean on delivery of this vision for Silverwood.
Sean will continue to play a key role in bringing the three school campuses together as one school and ensuring Silverwood School provides the best education and outcomes for children and young people in Wiltshire. He said “I am absolutely thrilled to have been appointed as the permanent Executive Headteacher of Silverwood School. Our school has the most amazing children, young people and dedicated staff imaginable. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that together, we will create an extraordinary school of which our whole community will be exceptionally proud.”
New Logo
The school is now choosing a new logo to go with its new name and identity, and children, parents, carers and staff are all involved in selecting their favourite design. We look forward to sharing the new logo with you in our next newsletter
School Build Co-production
In our last newsletter we updated on the co-production workshops which were held in the autumn last year, and these have helped our construction partners and their architect to develop a concept design for the new build on the Rowde site.
We are now preparing to move into a more detailed design phase, and have held the first of our workshops focusing on detailed design, ahead of submitting a planning application in the spring. To assist our architect team develop the design further, we will be running a series of focus groups to consider key themes including: Transport, Environment and Sustainability, and Health. The architects will also be working closely with the school staff to understand in detail how different spaces are used in the school in practice.
Pupils will continue to get involved at all stages of the project, getting to know more about the many different types of roles and people who get involved in construction, and to feel a real sense of ownership over the new building. The architects are now using virtual technology to ‘visit’ the new build during the design and we look forward to children enjoying and learning as they experience this and experiment with colour and design.
As part of our commitment to keeping people informed and involved we will be holding a second community event to share the emerging design for the school and get local residents’ feedback and thoughts. This event will take place as an online webinar on 3 March at 6 pm, and you can register to attend by emailing SpecialSchools@wiltshire.gov.uk.
New SEND school for Salisbury assesses feasibility of UTC site
Reach South Academy Trust are working with the Department for Education and Wiltshire Council to consider the feasibility of the former UTC building on Wilton Road in Salisbury as the new home for a 150 space SEND free school in south Wiltshire for learners with autism and social, emotional and mental health needs.
The whole team is committed to developing a school that is safe and purposeful for all its pupils. We are aware of the potential of the site but acknowledge that the team will need to use their collective expertise and experience to establish how a building with great space and facilities can now be significantly adapted to meet the needs of an ASD and SEMH population. The team will also look at how the need for suitable outdoor spaces can be accommodated.
The UTC site will only be confirmed as the definite location for the new SEND free school once this process has been completed.
Reach South have already been communicating with local residents, making them aware that initial explorations are happening, and have had some positive feedback. They plan to begin a formal consultation on the new SEND school in the coming weeks.
