DfE Compliant Inclusive Learning Hub Concept

Yes. The Hub is designed in accordance with the current DfE Output Specification, and meets its requirements for robustness, fire safety, acoustics, sustainability and adaptability. We developed the concept with SEND specialist architects and can provide a written summary of how the design meets each area. the DfE Output Specification also requires schemes to be carbon neutral for regulated energy, which our designs achieve using air source heat pumps and solar PV. This is design compliance with the specification, which is different from framework membership.

The Inclusive Learning Hub is designed in accordance with DfE Output Specification, but TG Escapes is not a named supplier on the DfE Construction Framework 2025. We want to be precise about that distinction, because a compliant design and framework membership are not the same thing. You can procure a Hub through routes we are part of, including the UK Leisure Framework, Everything Estates and Constellia, as well as directly. We’re happy to talk through the most appropriate route for your authority or trust.

Much faster than traditional construction. Because the Hub is pre-designed, the early design stage is largely complete before you start, and the building is manufactured in our Coventry workshop while groundworks happen on site in parallel. The exact programme depends on the size of the Hub, your site and the planning timeline, so we confirm a realistic schedule after the site fit check. Our teams are experienced at working in live school environments year-round, not only during holidays, which helps keep the programme moving.

We know commissioners evaluate SEN expansion in cost per place, and your design pack includes indicative costing on that basis. We don’t publish a single flat figure, because cost depends on the layout you choose, your site, ground conditions and the finishes and equipment your setting needs. Indicative costs cover the building and secure outdoor areas but exclude groundworks, planning fees, furniture, planting and specialist equipment. Once we have surveyed your site we can give you a fixed price to take to your funding case. If you are considering leasing, our leasing page shows how the cost can be spread over a 10-year term.

Yes. The Hub is a concept, not a fixed catalogue product. The core design elements are already resolved, which saves time, but we adapt the scheme to your site during the fit-check stage, taking account of ground conditions, access, orientation and how the building sits alongside your existing school. The principle is to keep specialist provision within mainstream settings wherever possible, with spaces that blend between the main school and the Hub. You get the speed of a pre-designed building with a layout that genuinely fits.

Several routes are open to SEN expansion, and we provide design evidence to support your bid. These include High Needs provision capital, wider SEN and special-school capital, the Condition Improvement Fund, Section 106 developer contributions and capital reserves. We also offer lease funding through a public-sector funding partner: a 10-year term with no upfront capital, under the IFRS 16 Maintained Schools Secretary of State Finance Lease Class Consent 2024. Each Hub is designed to last well beyond the lease term. We can help you compare these options for your setting.

The Hub is designed to support pupils with a range of needs, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, multi-sensory impairment (MSI) and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. Each building is organised around a central activity area, with classrooms that give children a choice of spaces, both inside and out, where they can retreat to support their learning and sensory comfort. Therapy, sensory and meeting rooms give multi-disciplinary teams a high-quality environment to work in. For standalone provision, see our modular SEN and SEMH classrooms.

We keep disruption to a minimum. Most of the build happens offsite in our workshop, so on-site work is shorter and more controlled than traditional construction. With over 20 years of experience working in operational school settings, our teams plan deliveries around your timetable and can work in live environments year-round. We undertake principal designer and principal contractor duties, so health, safety and coordination on your site sit with us. The result is a finished, fully serviced building handed over ready for immediate use.