The burial of a time capsule has highlighted progress in the Fred Nicholson School relocation project, marking a ceremonial moment at the developing campus on Lynn Road in Swaffham. The special school, currently based in Dereham, is preparing to transfer to the larger site as part of a planned expansion designed to meet rising demand for places.
Work on the new premises will provide 27 additional places for early years and Key Stage 1 pupils. The building has been designed across three storeys and will contain 17 principal classrooms together with specialist rooms for life skills teaching, sensory immersion and physical development. Areas for sixth form students have also been included in the layout. The Fred Nicholson School relocation project is scheduled to welcome pupils in the spring term.
Children from the school attended the ceremony with teachers, representatives from construction firm R G Carter, colleagues from design partner NPS and officers from Norfolk County Council. The authority is funding the scheme and overseeing delivery. Each class prepared material for the capsule, creating collages that included handprints, poems and recollections of daily school life.
Councillor Penny Carpenter, cabinet member for Children’s Services at Norfolk County Council said: “As we mark another exciting milestone in the relocation of this much needed school, we move one step closer to completion and the pupils being able to move into this modern and accessible building.
“The new and improved school is part of our commitment to ensure children and young people in Norfolk flourish.”
Heidi Philpott, Headteacher of Fred Nicholson School, said: Our whole school community is energised and preparing for our forthcoming move. Teaching teams are working especially hard ensuring we continue to deliver our purposeful curriculum whilst packing and sorting resources. Everyone is excited and counting down the weeks until we have our new school. Lots of planning is in place to ensure a smooth transition for pupils, families and staff.
The Fred Nicholson School relocation project forms one element of a broader county strategy to increase specialist education capacity. Norfolk County Council has reported that, during the past five years, three new special schools have been built providing 358 places and existing schools have been extended to create a further 289 places. The authority describes this as a 41 percent rise in specialist provision.
Alex Mackay, Director and General Manager at R G Carter said: “We have thoroughly enjoyed our visits to site from the pupils of Fred Nicholson School as their new bespoke educational home has progressed. By presenting them with this time capsule, we hope they can preserve cherished memories of this exciting time and create new ones for the future. We look forward to handing over this new SEND school very soon, ready for pupils to start enjoying and gaining the very best education possible.”
Cllr William Nunn, local member for Swaffham, said: “Burying this time capsule at Fred Nicholson School is an exciting moment in the school’s journey. It’s wonderful to think that future students will one day unearth this piece of the school’s history. We’re getting ever closer to the completed project and I can’t wait to see it all come to life.”
The Local First Inclusion programme underpins the development, aiming to ensure that children can learn in settings suited to their needs, whether in mainstream schools, specialist resource bases or dedicated establishments such as the new facility. Officials state that the Fred Nicholson School relocation project reflects long term planning to help pupils build secure foundations for adult life.
