A MAJOR milestone has been reached in a project to double the number of students at a special needs school and create much-needed new places.

The Castledon School, a specialist educational school in Wickford, is expanding its capacity from 82 students to 196 and work on an extension is due to be complete ahead of the start of the next school year.

The steel frame and structure of the new building, which will create 11 new classrooms including three “specialist state-of-the-art” spaces, has now been completed.

As part of the plan, the school will be boosted by a new therapy room, a physio room as well as a large sports hall and a library.

Simon Holliday, headteacher at Castledon School, added: “It is incredible to see the vision for appropriate facilities for our wonderful young people becoming a reality.

“I am particularly excited about the new sports hall and dedicated science room to help enhance the curriculum.”

Construction firm Morgan Sindall held a “steel signing ceremony” to mark the milestone with Rayleigh and Wickford MP Mark Francois, councillors, and Mr Holliday attending.

This also comes as Essex County Council plans to build a new special needs school for almost 200 pupils off Rawreth Lane in Rayleigh.

Mr Francois said: “As someone who lobbied the previous Government for the multi-million pound funding to underwrite this scheme, I am delighted to see it now come to fruition.

“Castledon is already a very good school and this major extension, being built by Morgan Sindall, is great news for SEN pupils, in both Wickford and beyond.”

The contractor was appointed by Essex County Council to extend the school’s facilities, helping the county meet a growing demand for specialist educational support.

Tony Ball, Essex County Council councillor for education excellence, lifelong learning and employability, said: “This is an exciting milestone and an important step forward in meeting the rising demand for special school places in Essex.

“We are pleased to see this project progressing and look forward to seeing the final school when it is complete.”

Plans for the expansion were given the green light by Essex County Council in August 2023.