News - 26 November 2021

Pupils at Alfreton Park Community Special School given life-enriching experiences

Contractor Henry Brothers has organised a raft of interesting experiences for pupils at Alfreton Park Community Special School as part of the company’s commitment to supporting the school, facilitated through D2N2’s Derbyshire North Careers Hub.

Events have ranged from an exciting birds of prey encounter to hands-on brick laying and plastering demonstrations and tutorials.

Henry Brothers Midlands is currently building a new £13.2m Alfreton Park Community Special School in Derbyshire, which will provide a modern, larger purpose-built facility for pupils with special needs and replace out-dated and unsuitable teaching facilities at the school’s existing site.

During the construction phase, Henry Brothers has arranged a string of life-enriching experiences for the students – including insights into the trades involved in building a new school.

Henry Brothers Midlands MD Ian Taylor said: “We have been delighted to organise a number of exciting activities to appeal to the youngsters at Alfreton Park Community Special School. These have ranged from fun encounters like the birds of prey demonstration to insights into the construction sector, with opportunities for the pupils to have a go at some of the trades involved in building. One or two of them really had an aptitude for brick laying and plastering and we hope it’s given them valuable understanding of a work place environment.”

Acting head teacher Josie O’Donnell praised Henry Brothers for its commitment to sharing information about the construction process with the youngsters.

She said: “Henry Brothers made the events onsite as inclusive as possible by providing wheelchair access and giving the pupils excellent experiences in brick laying and plastering. The pupils enjoyed handling the tools and materials and were very excited to be onsite having regularly visited as far as the gate to watch the diggers! It’s been a great opportunity for our young people to experience the world of work and supporting raising aspirations for all young people.”

Emily Carter, Operational Hub Lead for Derbyshire at D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “It has been a delight to work in partnership with Henry Brothers and colleagues at Alfreton Park Community Special School, one of our Derbyshire North Career Hub Schools, to support the collaboration between the new school site development and careers provision at the school. Raising the aspirations and understanding of the world of work is essential for all young people and could not be done without the partnership of employers.

“In Derbyshire, transition to the workplace for young people with additional needs is below the national average, with only 3% of young people entering the workforce (6% nationally). Meaningful employer engagement and inclusive approaches to employment are key to unlocking an untapped pool of talent in our future workforce, and what has really stood out here is the close working and enthusiastic approach between Henry Brothers and Alfreton Park which has been of huge benefit to young people beyond the site development itself.”

The new single-storey building is being constructed on a site adjacent to Alfreton Park, known as Highfield Plantation. The old school will be demolished once the new site is up and running.

This is the second project that Henry Brothers has delivered for Alfreton Park Community Special School – the company previously delivered a hydrotherapy pool, which opened in early 2017 – and the latest in a number of schemes that the company has worked on for Derbyshire County Council.

The new school will expand the teaching and other facilities available at Alfreton Park Community Special School. Featuring 12 classrooms, six group rooms, including specialist therapy rooms and soft play areas, and a combined hall and dining area, it will have space for 100 students. The building is expected to be completed by late 2021, with the school opening early in 2022.

The Henry Brothers team building the new facility includes Maber architects and structural engineer HWA. Faithful + Gould is carrying out project management and quantity surveying roles for the client.

Nottingham-based Henry Brothers Midlands is part of The Henry Group, which comprises a number of manufacturing and construction sector companies, ranging from external construction through to interiors fit-out. In partnership with clients, it has a proven track record in education, defence, accommodation, commercial, industrial, transport and healthcare sectors.

Derbyshire North Careers Hub

The Derbyshire North Careers Hub is one of 4 across the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire area, supported locally through D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership.

Careers Hubs are part of a national programme by the Careers & Enterprise Company, funded by the Department for Education, and are designed to connect employers with schools and colleges throughout England to deliver world-class careers education. Careers Hubs test, trial and evaluate what works. They are centres of excellence, helping schools and colleges to develop careers programmes that support national intent, providing local implementation that is cohesive, connected and progressive.

Latest News & Events

19 July 2024

Local business support boosted with launch of Early Stage Angel Investment Fund

Read Article

21 June 2024

Spotlight on our Board: Scott Knowles, Chief Executive, East Midlands Chamber, on the D2N2 LEP transition and East Midlands devolution

Read Article

11 June 2024

The D2N2 LEP staff team joins the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA)

Read Article

07 June 2024

Becky Rix, Marketing Director at Roadgas, explains why Roadgas is a proud member of the East Midlands Hydrogen Consortium

Read Article

05 June 2024

Spotlight on our Board: D2N2 LEP Board Member Natasha Johnson, Director of Partnerships at Global Entrepreneurs UK

Read Article

05 June 2024

Free Expert Business Advice and Support available through East Midlands Chamber’s Accelerator Programme

Read Article

03 June 2024

Spotlight on our Board: D2N2 LEP Board Member Professor Edward Peck CBE, Vice-Chancellor and President, Nottingham Trent University

Read Article

24 May 2024

Focus on the East Midlands: our time is NOW!

Read Article

24 May 2024

D2N2 LEP CEO, Will Morlidge, shares our East Midlands Hydrogen ambitions at UKREiiF

Read Article

24 May 2024

East Midlands Freeport and Freeport East Sign Green Freight Corridor Initiative at UKREiiF

Read Article

Get in touch.

Subscribe to our newsletter

Sign up
Address

D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership
8 Experian Way
Nottingham
Nottinghamshire
NG2 1EP

Social

Our Partners