County councillors visit Mansfield’s new specialist school
A new state-of-the-art school in Mansfield is now supporting children with special educational needs (SEN).
Nottinghamshire county councillors and partners gathered at the recently opened Horizons Academy, which is providing a specialist learning environment for children with social, emotional, and mental health needs.
The £30m purpose-built school, managed by the Diverse Academies Trust (DAT), has been built on the former Ravensdale School site and has capacity for up to 160 pupils across the seven to 19 years age range.
It forms part of Nottinghamshire County Council’s commitment to create up to 490 additional SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) school places by 2026 to help address the growing demand for more specialist school places across the county.
Further SEND investment in the area includes:
• Plans for three dedicated SEND classrooms for 24 pupils at the Samuel Barlow Primary Academy in Clipstone.
This £1.1m investment will be funded from the council’s special schools’ capital programme. Plans include a dining area and social space, library area, quiet rooms, a sensory room and external sensory garden. The academy is also run by DAT.
• Expansion plans at Fountaindale special school in the Mansfield area is set to create additional space, thanks to a council contribution worth more than £285,000. The work will create three large teaching spaces, and a large lounge/kitchenette space. The school is run by Nexus Multi-Academy Trust.
County Council Leader, Councillor Mick Barton, said he was delighted that Horizons is now open and benefitting young people. Speaking at the school he said:
“Horizons Academy is such an impressive, top of the range facility and is helping regenerate an important area of Mansfield which will benefit many generations to come.
“We are committed to improving facilities and creating more places for children with special educational needs, which is why we have more investment on its way for this area.”
Councillor James Walker-Gurley, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Assets, commented on the council’s latest investments to improve facilities for specialist schools. He said:
“Horizons Academy is an incredible example of a state-of-the-art SEND school and I’m delighted that we have plans for even more investment in this area.
“Samuel Barlow Primary Academy, which is just few miles away in Clipstone, will see more classrooms built to create more SEND places.
“We are also investing in Fountaindale, another specialist school in Mansfield, which will be expanded to create more teaching space.
“It’s vital that all children have the chance to learn in the best environment possible and we are doing all that we can to make that happen.”
David Cotton, Chief Executive Officer, of Diverse Academies Trust, said:
“It has been a pleasure to welcome our partners to Horizons Academy. This flagship development for the Mansfield community delivers specialist, high quality provision for learners with additional needs in a state of the art setting designed to inspire and support every young person.
“This academy offers an exceptional environment where students can thrive, grow in confidence, and achieve beyond their aspirations. We are incredibly proud of the remarkable progress our learners have already made since the academy opened in January 2026.”
The county council’s property services have commissioned and facilitated the project, which is being designed and cost-managed by Arc Partnership – a joint venture between the authority and SCAPE – with construction undertaken by Morgan Sindall Construction.
Dan Maher, Managing Director at Arc Partnership, said:
“Designing a calming learning environment for students with specialist needs was central to our approach and it is fantastic to now see the students benefitting.”
