Richmond’s new SEND satellite centre set to achieve net zero emissions and expand local specialised provision

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1. https://london-post.co.uk/kier-appointed-to-deliver-vital-send-provision-in-london-borough-of-richmond-upon-thames/ - Please view link - unable to able to access data
2. https://www.kier.co.uk/media/newsroom/press-releases/kier-appointed-to-deliver-vital-send-provision-in-london-borough-of-richmond-upon-thames/ - Kier has been appointed to deliver a new satellite centre for Clarendon School, a special educational needs and disability (SEND) school in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. The purpose-designed building, delivered through the SCAPE Construction Framework, will expand the school’s specialist provision and provide high-quality facilities for up to 77 primary and secondary pupils (KS1–KS5) with moderate learning difficulties and complex needs, including autism. This new centre forms part of the Council’s wider investment to improve and expand specialist SEND provision locally, giving children and young people the right support closer to home and reducing the need for out-of-borough placements. Kier will lead the design and construction of the satellite centre, which will include ten classrooms and four specialist teaching spaces for art, drama, music, food technology and life skills. Additional facilities will include a new hall, kitchen, office space, therapy rooms, group rooms and breakout areas. External areas of the site will provide new soft and hard play areas together with a court area and a sensory garden. Car parking facilities for staff incorporates electric vehicle charging points and cycle storage, which supports sustainable travel. Designed with sustainability at its core, the school aims to achieve a ‘BREEAM’ ‘Excellent’ rating and net zero carbon in operation, in line with local and London planning requirements. Energy efficiency features include heating powered by air source heat pumps, photovoltaic panels for green electricity, motion detection light switches, and smart metres with energy monitoring and reporting facilities. Leader of Richmond Council, Councillor Gareth Roberts, said: “This is about giving children and young people with special educational needs the very best start in life.” “Families in Richmond upon Thames have told us how important it is to have the right support closer to home, and that’s exactly what this project will deliver. This represents a significant investment in our pupils and staff and is a major step forward for our borough – one I know will make a real difference for years to come.” John Bolton, regional director, Kier Construction London & Thames Valley added: “We are incredibly proud to be delivering such an important school for London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. This outstanding facility will address the vital need for specialist SEND education in the borough while providing much-needed support for students in a modern and inclusive environment”. Mark Robinson, Group Chief Executive at SCAPE, said: “Clarendon School represents a significant step forward in meeting the growing demand for SEND school places in the area, and we are proud to be supporting this important project. Through our Gold Standard verified Construction Framework, we are focused on close collaboration with Kier to create long-term value, ensure full compliance, and deliver meaningful social and economic outcomes that leaves a lasting legacy for the client, students, and the wider community.” The highly-sustainable scheme will be delivered through Kier’s integrated 360 approach, with its in-house Mechanical and Electrical, Design and Highways teams collaborating to create a world-class, purpose-built learning environment for students of all ages. This appointment builds on Kier’s extensive experience of delivering SEND facilities in London, including the new Carew Academy in Croydon, Pinn River in Hillingdon and Spa School, a co-educational special school for students with autism in Camberwell. This is in addition to the multi-award winning Greenwood Centre, a resource and community centre that is run by people with disabilities, for people with disabilities, in Camden. Kier is a long-standing SCAPE delivery partner, having collaborated with over 360 clients across the national framework to deliver value for money public sector infrastructure, supported by local supply chain partners where 89% of companies are located within a 40 mile radius of each project. Our teams have delivered over 1,300 SCAPE projects, creating more than 760 new jobs, facilitating over 750 new apprentices, and engaging with over 47,000 schoolchildren. To find out more, visit: https://scape.co.uk/construction-frameworks/kier.
3. https://www.richmond.gov.uk/special_schools - Clarendon School is a day special school for pupils aged 7-16 who have complex needs as well as moderate learning difficulties. The school also manages satellite provision: for pupils aged 11-16 with Autistic Spectrum Disorder at The Gateway at Twickenham Academy; for pupils aged 11-16 with social and emotional needs at The Newhouse Centre.
4. https://www.richmond.gov.uk/send - Visit the Achieving for Children (AfC) Local Offer website to find information about provision available locally across education, health and social care for children and young people who have special educational needs or who are disabled, covering the age range from birth to 25 years old.
5. https://twickenham.nub.news/news/local-news/new-send-satellite-centre-for-clarendon-school-to-be-built-in-twickenham-276142 - A new purpose-built special educational needs and disability (SEND) satellite centre for Clarendon School in Twickenham is set to be built, after the Council appointed construction company Kier to deliver the project. The new facility, developed through the SCAPE Construction Framework, will provide high-quality education and support for up to 77 pupils across primary and secondary age groups (KS1–KS5) with moderate learning difficulties and complex needs, including autism. Forming part of Richmond Council's wider investment in expanding SEND provision locally, the project will ensure children and young people can access the right support closer to home and reduce the need for placements outside the borough. The new site will feature ten classrooms and four specialist teaching spaces for art, drama, music, food technology and life skills, alongside a hall, therapy rooms, kitchen, group spaces, offices and breakout areas. Outdoor areas will include soft and hard play zones, a sports court, and a sensory garden, while new car parking facilities will include electric vehicle charging points and cycle storage to support sustainable travel. Designed with sustainability at its heart, the new centre is targeting a BREEAM 'Excellent' rating and aims to be net zero carbon in operation. Features will include air source heat pumps, photovoltaic panels, motion sensor lighting, and smart energy monitoring systems. John Bolton, Regional Director at Kier Construction London & Thames Valley, said: "We are incredibly proud to be delivering such an important school for the borough. This outstanding facility will address the vital need for specialist SEND education while providing much-needed support for students in a modern and inclusive environment." Councillor Gareth Roberts, Leader of Richmond Council, added: "This is about giving children and young people with special educational needs the very best start in life. Families in Richmond upon Thames have told us how important it is to have the right support closer to home, and that's exactly what this project will deliver. This represents a significant investment in our pupils and staff and is a major step forward for our borough – one I know will make a real difference for years to come." Mark Robinson, Group Chief Executive at SCAPE, said the project would "create long-term value and deliver meaningful social and economic outcomes" for students and the wider community. The scheme will be delivered through Kier's integrated 360 approach, bringing together its in-house mechanical, electrical, design and highways teams to create a world-class, inclusive learning environment. Kier has extensive experience delivering SEND facilities across London, including Carew Academy in Croydon, Pinn River in Hillingdon, and Spa School in Camberwell.
6. https://www.playleandpartners.co.uk/project/clarendon-send-school/ - Playle & Partners LLP has been engaged as a multi-disciplinary practice to collaborate with the Council and stakeholders in delivering a new 77-place Special Educational Needs (SEN) school. The school will cater to young learners from Key Stage 1 (KS1) through to Key Stage 5 (KS5), focusing on students with Complex Learning Difficulties and Social Communication Needs. Playle & Partners LLP completed a RIBA Stage 0-1 viability study at the start of this project in to understand the site’s possibilities and constraints. With an existing derelict building on the site, design assessments with associated budget estimates were completed to determine all possible options – refurbishment of the existing building, demolition with bespoke and sustainable new build or sell the land with planning permission for a residential scheme to fund a future development on another location. Following Council reviews and discussions with relevant parties a preferred route was chosen, and P&P commenced RIBA Stage 2 in 2022. Client: London Borough of Richmond-Upon-Thames Services: Architect, Quantity Surveying, Project Management, Principal Designer Value: £14,000,000 Works are currently at RIBA Stage 4 and the scheme is targeting BREEAM Excellent.
7. https://opencouncil.network/meetings/80074 - The Richmond Schools Forum met to discuss the 2025/26 financial position, receive an update on the 2026/27 budget, and review the SEND Futures Plan. The forum was also scheduled to discuss membership updates and the minutes from the previous meeting. SEND Futures Plan The Schools Forum was scheduled to receive an update on the implementation of Richmond's SEND Futures Plan, a strategy designed to improve outcomes for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) aged 0 to 25, across education, health, and social care. The plan also aims to improve the financial sustainability of the system. The forum was to note that Richmond's Safety Valve Agreement concluded in March 2025, with the council having received all available funding. The Department for Education (DfE) communicated that the Safety Valve Programme would not be extended to any other local authorities. The DfE intends to release the SEND White Paper in October 2025, outlining plans to reform the SEND system and support local authorities in addressing historic and accruing deficits. The dedicated schools grant statutory override will remain effective until the end of the 2027/28 financial year. As of August 2025, the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames had 2,075 Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans in place, a 7.5% increase compared to August 2024. From September 2024 to August 2025, the council received 324 requests for EHC needs assessments, a 5% increase compared to the previous year. The SEND service redesign was scheduled to be implemented in September 2025, introducing a dedicated Assessment Team to manage EHC Needs Assessment requests.