New mainstream Special Educational Needs (SEN) Units in Surrey

A new 30-place mainstream Special Educational Needs (SEN) unit for secondary age autistic pupils (11 to 16-year-olds) will open at Saint John the Baptist School in Woking. This follows the approval of the planning application by our Planning and Regulatory Committee.

We anticipate that final approvals will be in place by spring 2025 and that construction of the new block at St John the Baptist School will finish in the autumn. The first cohort of pupils will be accommodated in existing accommodation on a short-term basis from September 2025. Students will move into the new SEN Unit block when it is completed, and additional pupils will join the SEN Unit each year until it reaches capacity in September 2030.

Epsom Downs Primary School's SEN unit is also now complete. Part of the main school, it provides a modern education setting for 25 pupils. The first 10 pupils will move into the new building in February. Remaining places will be filled over the next three years until the unit reaches capacity.

The creation of these SEN units is a crucial part of Surrey's Inclusion and Additional Needs Partnership Strategy 2023 to 2026, aimed at improving inclusion and outcomes for children with additional needs and disabilities in Surrey, ensuring they get the best possible education closer to home.

Epsom Downs Primary School, Epsom

Contractors CityAxis built the SEN unit which is part of the main school. The timber-framed building is constructed to be net zero compliant. Particular attention has been paid to the internal acoustic performance, colour palette and look and feel of the spaces to make the environment as welcoming as possible.

Saint John the Baptist School, Woking

This is one of over 80 construction projects that our Land and Property Capital Projects team are delivering via the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) capital programmes.

Our investment in SEND and AP capital projects since the 2019/20 financial year has increased Surrey's maintained specialist education estate capacity by 35% to around 4,500 places for the 2024/25 academic year. There are still over 30 more projects in the pipeline which will further increase SEND and AP provision across the county.

Correction: The SEN Unit at St John the Baptist School in Woking is not currently open, as stated in the Additional Needs and Disabilities (AND) newsletter, published on 5 February 2025.