New special school opens in Stoke Newington
Pupils at a special educational needs school in Stoke Newington have started the new academic year in their brand new building.
The Garden – a merger of Horizon and Downsview schools – is part of Hackney Council’s Building Schools for the Future programme, and boasts state of the art facilities specially designed to help pupils flourish. Features include a splash pool, soft play rooms and a community café to be run by older students.
The school was built on the site of the former Horizon primary school, in Wordsworth Road, by McLaren, in two stages to keep disruption to pupils to a minimum. They have now been joined by pupils from the former Downsview secondary school, which was in Hackney Downs. The two were merged to better suit the needs of pupils, who will no longer have to change schools when they reach secondary school age.
The 150 capacity school has been specifically designed to cater for pupils’ needs. It has two outside play areas, a sports hall, adaptable learning spaces and multi-sensory rooms.
The new building is going to make a real difference for staff and pupils at the new Garden school. The school is designed specifically to meet their needs; it’s a fantastic building and I’m sure they’ll enjoy getting to know their new school. We’re now in the final stage of our Building Schools for the Future plan, which will see all of Hackney’s secondary and special educational needs schools rebuilt or renovated. The project has made a huge difference to young people in Hackney; with good quality, fit for purpose schools, pupils feel inspired and motivated.
