Lincolnshire County Council's extension of Willoughby Academy in Bourne to be opened

A £6.5m school extension is set to be officially opened.

A new building at the special school, the Willoughby Academy in Bourne, will be unveiled today (May 3).

It includes extra classrooms and hygiene suites, a dining hall and nurse and physio spaces.

Pupils will also benefit from the extensively remodelled outdoor play areas, while the school’s car park has been extended under the project, which was funded by Lincolnshire County Council.

Howard Gee, chairman of The Priory Federation of Academies Trust which runs Willoughby Academy, said: “We are deeply grateful for the council funding which has created such positive and beneficial new facilities for our pupils. They have further enhanced the strengths of the school and will make a big difference to children’s lives for many years to come.”

The extension is part of Lincolnshire County Council’s £86m investment into improving special schools in the hopes “children can access high-quality education, as near to their family and local community as possible.”

The council’s strategy seeks to create an extra 500 spaces across the county as existing SEND schools are suffering from increased demand.

Coun Patricia Bradwell (Con), executive member for children’s services, said: “I’m delighted to see the improvements at Willoughby Academy completed, and I’m sure they will be of immense benefit to both current pupils and those of the future."

The construction, which began in 2020, was carried out by Wilmott Dixon.