Plans filed for £3.5m special school revamp
PLANS have been submitted for a £3.5 million transformation of an overstretched special school which last year sounded the alarm over the “endemic” crisis of SEND education.
Proposed changes at Hilltop in Maltby are set to include demolition of the caretaker’s building and temporary teaching spaces, and construction of replacement classrooms and a “rebound” therapy space.
The school was built 50 years ago for 30 students – but currently has 147 youngsters on roll.
It made headlines in spring 2023 after headteacher Rob Mulvey highlighted that space issues had meant a store room was being used for therapy sessions and the outdoor quad area being turned into a library.
Now the school is set to benefit from the Great Yorkshire Build, an innovative initiative from the Yorkshire Children’s Charity bringing together public, private and third sector partners to fund SEND schools across the county.
Mr Mulvey said: “We have a fantastic staff team who are dedicated and passionate about providing the very best educational experience for all our students.
“The physical environment of Hilltop School is the thing which prevents us from reaching our full potential as a school. Lack of access to outside space is also a major issue for us.
“Through the support of the Yorkshire Children’s Charity and input from all those who have pledged support for the Big Build Project, I believe that we will make the future of the students at Hilltop, now and for years to come, infinitely more rewarding and positive.”
Yorkshire Children’s Charity says it has raised more than £5 million since being launched in 2022, and has helped more than 20,000 children through its programmes.
Chief executive Charlotte Farrington has written to Rotherham Council urging it to approve the Maltby plans.
She said: “The scale of the project at Hilltop is significant, far bigger than any big build we have taken on.
“Once you see the condition of the learning environment and the lack of facilities available to the children, you can’t unsee it.
“As a result, the project has grown arms and legs and everyone committed to the project has had to absorb significantly more costs than initially anticipated.”