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Education

St Augustine’s School, Scarborough – SEN Block

Acting on behalf of St Margaret Clitherow Catholic Academy Trust, Actiform delivered a purpose-built modular facility at St Augustine's Catholic School in Scarborough — providing high-quality, specialist accommodation for students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Expertise
  • Modular SEND learning environment design
  • Fast-track education construction (RM6014 Framework)
  • Turnkey delivery: design, planning, build, compliance
Deliverables
  • 230m² purpose-built SEN facility
  • 7 specialist teaching and support spaces
  • Full DDA-compliant fit-out with climate control

St Margaret Clitherow Catholic Academy Trust needed additional specialist accommodation for SEND students at St Augustine's — delivered to a fixed budget of £350,000, within a 20-week programme, and ready for the start of the new academic year in September 2021. The project also required full compliance with Department for Education standards and CDM 2015 regulations, with Actiform acting as both Principal Contractor and Principal Designer.

Challenge

Solution

  1. 01/

    Challenge

    The tight 20-week programme left no margin for redesign, requiring a single fully resolved solution from the outset.

    Solution

    A two-zone modular layout — 170m² of essential space and 60m² of desirable space — was designed to prioritise the core SEN requirements: a large study room, classroom, two small teaching rooms, a teaching/meeting room, office, toilets, and plant/storage. The flexible structure meant desirable spaces could be incorporated within budget without delaying the programme.

  2. 02/

    Challenge

    The building needed to function as a genuinely inclusive, sensory-appropriate learning environment — not simply a standard modular classroom with a SEND label applied to it.

    Solution

    The facility was designed in full accordance with Building Bulletin 104 (BB104), the national area guidelines for SEND and alternative provision. DDA-compliant electrical fittings, air conditioning in all classrooms (individually or centrally controlled), and a client-informed interior specification created an uplifting, comfortable space tailored to a wide range of pupil needs and learning styles.

  3. 03/

    Challenge

    As Principal Contractor and Principal Designer, Actiform was responsible for the full pre-construction phase — including topographical and fire access surveys, planning applications, building control, and service connections — all within the same compressed timeframe.

    Solution

    Careful sequencing and clear communication across design, planning, and construction workstreams ensured each regulatory and logistical requirement was met without programme delay. Handover was achieved on schedule for the September 2021 academic year.

Our Approach

Actiform delivered the project as a fully turnkey solution under the Crown Commercial Service RM6014 Framework — managing every stage from planning applications and groundworks through to service connections and final fit-out. The client supplied loose furniture; Actiform ensured all infrastructure was positioned and finished to facilitate a seamless installation.

The interior specification was developed collaboratively with the Trust to create an environment that reflected the school’s ethos — vibrant, welcoming, and designed to support both students and staff in an SEN setting. The modular approach enabled a controlled, efficient build process that kept the project on budget and on programme throughout.

The Results

£350kDelivered on budget

20 Weeks, for full delivery period

230m²Purpose-built SEN space