Case Study
Beacon Hill 60 place SEND facility
2024: Our SEND building for Beacon Hill School
One of the projects we’ve loved this year was our SEND facility for Beacon Hill School. Working with Newcastle City Council, our bespoke building included a range of specialist features to benefit students, from sensory spaces to climbing walls. We were also thrilled to achieve net zero in operation across the building and external areas.
Beacon Hill School serves students with high-dependency Special Educational Needs and Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities. The brief from Newcastle City Council was to create a bespoke, stand-alone facility capable of accommodating 60 pupils.
Collaboration was key to the project and TG Escapes engaged in numerous client sessions to gather feedback and insights from all stakeholders to ensure that the design aligned with all their requirements.
The building will provide 10 classrooms including 2 PMLD bases, hygiene rooms, a staff room and a sensory room as well as ample storage for specialist equipment.
The TG Escapes Net-Zero in operation design follows biophilic principles and is built on a timber frame providing a low-carbon solution. Easy access to the outdoors was an integral part of the proposal and the building features a raised external area giving the students the opportunity to spend time outdoors with ease.
Special features and additional considerations of the building include:
• The use of natural materials, such as timber, at every opportunity.
• Soft pallet pastoral colours on walls where end users require it.
• Installing state-of-the-art acoustics and lighting solutions to fit the brief.
• Utilising the best technologies like automatic door systems that work for wider door sets to accommodate large wheelchair access (Circa 1250mm auto doors)
• Secure hoists and access platform lifts.
• Plenty of storage for equipment.
• Appropriate flooring solutions.
• Sensory spaces with fixed swings.
• An internal climbing wall to support pupil mobility, with a full risk assessment and additional fire treatment.
• All internal walls are reinforced with additional ply/OSB lining to provide a high-impact robustness.
• Easy access to a secure outdoor sheltered activity space, that is fully DDA compliant.
As the project reached completion, the TG Escapes team facilitated a student tour of the build.
Teacher at Beacon Hill Shaun Whillis says;
‘’The students had a wonderful visit to our new building. By exposing students to real-life building processes, it gave them a valuable educational experience. It helped them understand the various stages involved in construction and gain insights into the future of architecture and engineering.’’
Rachel Coyne from North Tyneside Council:
Why did you want to develop additional space?
Increased demand for Special Educational Needs capacity across the borough
What made TG Escapes stand out from other providers?
We were familiar with their product within a neighbouring authority and provided a bespoke, turnkey solution
What are the biggest benefits you have noticed or expect for the pupils and staff?
The additional capacity on site is a key benefit, however, having the ability to use the new space to provide zones within the school site for pupils with a variety of needs helps the school to manage their provision and allows interaction between pupils.
How or where did you first hear about TG Escapes?
Newcastle City Council
Take a journey through the building with this 360 walkthrough.
