Work Starts

RAYLEIGH and Wickford MP, Mark Francois, participated in a “turf turning ceremony” to mark the commencement of building Rochford District’s first ever Special Educational Needs (SEN) school, on the new Wolsey Park estate in Rawreth, Rayleigh.
The campaign for the new school was first announced by Mr Francois, in Parliament, during Education Questions, in July 2023. After a great deal of effort – and strong support from Essex County Council, particularly their Cabinet Member for Education, Coun Tony Ball, a site was identified, on the Wolsey Park development, in Rawreth and the Department for Education was successfully lobbied for the core funding to build the school, supported by developer Section 106 educational contributions.
The consultation exercise, which was launched, over a year ago, was originally for a 100-pupil school at Wolsey Park. The response, with over 95% support among the local community, was overwhelming.
However, given the high demand for SEN places, a number of respondents asked if the project could be more ambitious and if a bigger school could be built.
As a result, the Wolsey Park site will now accommodate a two-storey, 150 pupil school. In addition, the project has evolved further, with plans to include an annexe, for a further 100 plus pupils on the site of the old Chetwood Primary School, in South Woodham Ferrers. This would represent an expansion from 100 pupils, as originally suggested, to over 250 places, across the two sites.
Following a competitive process, the school will be run by the South Essex based Zenith Education Trust. Zenith already runs a number of schools in the county, including the highly successful Castledon School and College in Wickford, which is a leading SEN school, that was recently highly commended by OFSTED. In addition, the Chief Executive of Zenith, Mr Andy Hodgkinson, will be well known to many parents, especially in and around Rayleigh as, for many years, he was the highly successful Head at Sweyne Park School.
The new Wolsey Park School, as it will be known, should now open in the spring of 2027.
Commenting on the new SEN school project, Mr Francois said: “Since I launched this campaign, for Rochford District’s first ever special needs school in the Commons – two and a half years ago – we have been on a long journey.
“However, the work has now begun and this new, world class SEN school, should open in a little over a year’s time.
“I would like to sincerely thank all involved, in making this wonderful dream come true.”
Picture: Mark Francois MP, with ECC Education Chief, C.Cllr Tony Ball, Andy Hodgkinson, CEO of Zenith Education Trust and Chris Bladon, MD of Vistry, turning turf on the new SEN School in Rawreth, which should open in the spring of 2027.
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