We are delighted to announce that Hopescourt School, a new specialist free school designed for 200 autistic pupils aged 4-19 years and those with communication and interaction needs, has officially opened its temporary site in West Molesey.
After two years of hard work, planning and development, in partnership between Surrey County Council and Bourne Education Trust with Freemantles School in Woking, and the Department for Education Regions Group, the opening on 4 September marked a major milestone for the school.
Led by headteacher, Alex Burrows, the first cohort of 77 pupils, aged 11-14 years, has already had a fantastic start to their educational journey. Over the past ten weeks, children, their families, and staff have had an extremely positive experience as they settle into their new school.
The temporary location in West Molesey will serve as home for Hopescourt School until the permanent site in Walton-on-Thames is completed in Spring 2026.
Councillor Clare Curran, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning said; “Hopescourt School is key to our delivery of Surrey’s Inclusion and Additional Needs Partnership Strategy 2023-2026. This strategy sets out how partners aim to improve inclusion and outcomes for children with additional needs and disabilities in Surrey, ensuring they get the best possible education closer to home.
“The location of the new specialist school in the north of the county will greatly improve the lives of the autistic children and young people who are pupils there and their families by giving them better and more equal access to the support they need to lead healthy, safe and fulfilling lives. I’m extremely grateful to Bourne Education Trust and our wider partnership for all their work to open this new specialist provision for Surrey children at this temporary site ready for September 2024, in advance of the purpose-built, permanent school building being completed.”
Construction works at Hopescourt School’s permanent site in Walton-on-Thames began on Friday 4 October 2024. The major construction project funded by Surrey County Council and being delivered by Willmott Dixon, is Surrey’s flagship Net Zero Carbon Special Free School. The new school is a committed project in Surrey’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Capital Programme and once completed will offer much-needed specialist school places supporting Surrey County Council’s commitment to inclusive education.
Willmott Dixon bring extensive experience as one of the country’s leading builders of schools and colleges, having delivered 30,000 new school places in the past five years alone. Initial work on the site involved clearing and preparing the area for ground works which began earlier this month, the Hopescourt School building is expected to start taking shape in early 2025.
Alex Russell, Chief Executive Officer of Bourne Education Trust said: “We are delighted that the development of Hopescourt School’s permanent site is underway, and I know that our students, their families and our staff will be excited to see the progress of the new school building over the forthcoming months. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Surrey County Council, Wilmott Dixon and with Freemantles School in Woking, and to seeing our shared vision for the permanent Hopescourt School site become a reality for children with special educational needs and disabilities.”
Hopescourt School’s Headteacher, Alex Burrows, the Trust, and Surrey’s Capital Programme lead for Additional Needs and Disabilities (AND) Transformation met with families of existing school pupils earlier this month to provide updates and answer questions about the permanent site’s progress.
Careful planning is underway to ensure a smooth transition from the school’s temporary location to the new, permanent site in Walton-on-Thames in 2026.
This is a pivotal moment for Hopescourt School and the local community as we look forward to the completion of a state-of-the-art educational facility for children with additional needs and disabilities.
ENDS
Notes to editors
Previous press releases:
Secretary of State for Education’s approval of Bourne Education Trust as the Academy Sponsor for Hopescourt School Official sponsor approved for new Specialist School in Elmbridge | Surrey News
Hopescourt School:
Hopescourt School website: Welcome to Hopescourt School
Hopescourt School celebrates successful opening Hopescourt School celebrates successful opening – News – Hopescourt School
Surrey Additional Needs and Disabilities Transformation:
Surrey Inclusion and Additional Needs Partnership
The Additional Needs and Disabilities Partnership | Surrey Local Offer
Surrey Inclusion and Additional Needs Partnership Strategy 2023 to 2026
Surrey News 
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