WORK to create a new £7.6m home for Penkford School is under way. 

Staff and pupils had the chance to see the work for themselves when they paid a visit to the school’s new home at the former Red Bank Education Unit in Newton-le-Willows.

They were joined by members of St Helens Borough Council’s Cabinet. 
St Helens Star:

Contractor Galliford Try will complete the transformation of the site of the maintained special school. 

The council approved the project in September 2020.

The vacant site will be brought back to life with the extension of the existing building to create "a more therapeutic learning environment".

It will include new learning spaces as well as a dining and multipurpose sports hall. 

There will also be a new playing field, sports pitch, car park, fencing and amended access from Winwick Road. 

In a statement St Helens Borough Council said that as part of the contract Galliford Try will also deliver more than 20 projects aimed at supporting the wider community and delivering social value for the area.

The statement added: "Among those is an exciting community project with Wargrave Special Educational Needs School to create an outdoor classroom and community café. 

Anne Kyle, head teacher at Penkford School, added: “The Special Educational Needs children of St Helens deserve the best facilities to learn in, as they already have so many barriers to learning to overcome.

"The whole school community, but especially the pupils are so excited and grateful to St Helens Borough Council for investing in them and their futures.

"We cannot wait to start our learning journey in our brand new school.”