Oak Tree SEN School

Project Details

• Reds10 delivered a turnkey modular solution for the 3,650 m2 all through school in Winnersh, as part of the Department for Education (DfE)’s £3bn ‘Off-site Schools Framework’.
• The building will accommodate 150 pupils with a Social, Emotional, and Mental Health (SEMH) and/or Autism Spectrum Condition diagnosis from the boroughs of Reading and Wokingham.
• 87% completed off-site (2% higher than our commitment on the framework).

Oak Tree SEN School is a 3,650 m2 school catering for primary and secondary pupils from Reading and Wokingham boroughs with a Social, Emotional, and Mental Health and/or Autism Spectrum Condition diagnosis.

The all through school, which is operated by Maiden Erlegh Trustp, will accommodate 150 local pupils, providing much needed SEN spaces for the boroughs.

Reds10 was appointed by the Department for Education (DfE) as principal contractor to design and build the school, which is part of the DfE’s ‘Off-site Schools Framework’. The Framework was established in 2020, as part of the Government’s drive for greater adoption of MMC to modernise the industry and increase efficiencies, cost savings and innovation within capital building programmes.

The two-storey building includes:

• appropriate classrooms,
• x2 dining halls,
• changing rooms,
• therapy and calm rooms,
• specialist teaching spaces, including a science studio, food tech room, art & design studio, music/drama studio, ‘get ready to learn’ space and life-skills area,
• multi-use hall,
• sixth form common areas,
• external formal and informal play areas including a MUGA and sports field
• car parking and dedicated drop off areas

The external materials consist of a muted, natural palette and were selected to both respond to the local context and create a distinct identity for the school that is open and welcoming. All the materials are hard-wearing and will weather well, providing the school with a high quality yet low maintenance building.

Like all Reds10 buildings, the school includes SMART building technology, which allows Reds10 and the school to analyse energy usage and production, generating accurate data to ensure that the building is operated at maximum energy efficiency going forward.

Reds10 employed Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) with units arriving to site 85% complete, from their East Yorkshire factory. MMC directly benefits the delivery of school construction projects, through reduced embodied carbon, quicker delivery programmes and less trades on site, which minimises disruption.

Construction on the building completed at the end of the summer holidays, with the school’s doors opening for the 2023/4 school year. An official opening was held in September 2023 attended by representatives from the School, DfE, Maiden Erlegh Trust, Reds10, Wokingham Borough Council, Reading Council and invited guests.