Construction Commences on £20m+ Fernhill School for Autism in Sutton
Reds10, a pioneer in industrialised construction, has officially begun work on Fernhill School, a new, purpose-built special school for children with autism in Sutton, South London. The £20m+ project will provide 96 specialist places for pupils aged 11 to 19, providing the opportunity for more children to be educated in their local community.
The start of construction was marked by a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday 27th February which brought together representatives from the Department for Education (DfE), the Greenshaw Learning Trust, the London Borough of Sutton, and the Reds10 project team. Reds10 was appointed to build Fernhill School by the Department for Education in October 2025. The school will be part of Greenshaw Learning Trust, who will work in partnership with Sutton as the commissioning local authority.
Work on site has now begun using advanced volumetric modular construction, with approximately 85% of the building manufactured offsite at Reds10’s factory facility in Driffield, East Yorkshire. This ensures that high levels of quality and consistency are maintained, while reducing programme times and minimising disruption to the local community. The school is scheduled to open to pupils in September 2027.
Designed by HLM Architects, the 2,900 sq. m school will include 12 classrooms, specialist therapy spaces and quiet rooms, sensory integration rooms, specialist teaching rooms for science, music, art and food technology, including a food cafe, as well accessible dining and hygiene facilities. External spaces will feature external learning spaces, a multi-use games area, soft PE playing fields, alongside secure perimeter fencing and dedicated parking for staff, visitors and school minibuses.
Sustainability is central to the project, with Fernhill School designed to achieve Net Zero Carbon for operational energy. Features include a bio-solar roof with photovoltaic panels and a green roof, air source heat pumps, hybrid ventilation, a high Urban Greening Factor and electric vehicle charging points, supporting the borough’s climate ambitions.
