Extension completed at Wythenshawe school

Work is now complete on an extension to increase the provision for pupils with special education needs (SEN) at Newall Green High School.

As part of Manchester 's Building Schools for the Future programme, a £870,000 new build single storey extension has been added to the Greenbrow Road school.

The extension will provide accommodation for 15 additional pupils with specific language impairments, an autistic spectrum disorder or physical disabilities.

The development will have five new rooms, including two classrooms, a speech therapy room, a social space, ICT facilities and a roof garden.

The new extension is part of a £28m package of city wide proposals to transform provision for children and young people with special educational needs and improve choice and outcomes for young people.

The school is one of nine mainstream schools (six primary and three secondary) that have been designated as specialist resourced provision to meet the needs of children with SEN.

Pupils will move into the new facility from January 2011.

Headteacher Neil Wilson, says: "We already have a marvellous new school and this extension is just the icing on the cake. We are fully committed to inclusive schooling and already offer support for 36 students with special educational needs and this new building will allow us to extend that offer to even more young people."

The new extension comes almost two years after a £22m package of new build and refurbishment works was completed at the school, which included brand new buildings for the 11-16 age group and new sixth from provision.

The school recently entered a federation with Benchill and Baguley Hall Primary schools and is now offering a continuous provision across the 3-19 age range.

Pupils and staff at the school were involved in the design process and offered suggestions on how the new extension could best reflect their needs and requirements, with an open, friendly, welcoming and inspiring environment for them to own and look after being a priority.

Councillor Sheila Newman, Manchester City Council's Executive Member for Children's Services, says: " Manchester 's BSF programme is providing parents and young people with a wide selection of high quality educational choices, including provision for the full range of special educational needs.

"We want to see a continuum of provision developed for children and young people who have special educational needs from pre-school through to school leaving age and beyond. The new extension at Newall Green is a wonderful facility that will allow the school to extend its offer of support to even more SEN students."

The contractor for the Newall Green High School project is F Parkinson Building Contractors and the architect is Taylor Young.