Delivering an award-winning education campus for a new town.
Woodley Autism School and College has been developed to support Kirklees Council’s ambition for children and young people to access high-quality education as close to home as possible. This approach strengthens local connections, supports friendships, reduces travel time and carbon impact, and promotes a more sustainable model of education delivery.
Purpose-designed for autistic learners, the school provides places for 180 pupils in an environment shaped around clarity, wellbeing and progression. A ‘stages not ages’ approach places key stages one to three on the ground floor, with key stages four and five above.
The post-16 college has its own identity, with a dedicated entrance and stair, while remaining part of the wider school community. This helps pupils transition confidently into the next stage of learning.
Flexible classrooms are supported by therapeutic breakout spaces and multi-agency rooms, allowing the building to adapt to different needs throughout the day. Sensory comfort is a key consideration, with careful control of heating, lighting, acoustics and air quality.
External spaces are equally considered, providing sports courts, play areas and two distinct courtyards. These include a sensory garden and a quieter retreat space, offering pupils choice, comfort and opportunities for regulation throughout the day.
Drawing on a strong track record in the delivery of specialist education environments, the project reflects a deep understanding of the needs of autistic learners. This expertise has been recognised by Kirklees Council, with the school setting new standards through its Net Zero Carbon (NZC) approach, supporting a sustainable future for both learners and the wider community.
Alongside developing the designs for the new school we have delivered over £121,000 worth of Social Value initiatives including STEM sessions with students from Woodley School. These sessions offered practical guidance on CV writing, personal statements, and professional protocols for older students, while younger students engaged in some fun, educational projects. Another key initiative was our involvement in the school’s insight garden allotments project. We contributed two staff members for a day to help construct these allotments, along with a donation for the necessary equipment and resources. By assisting in building these allotments, we aim to provide this SEN school with more outdoor learning spaces, enriching the students’ educational environment.
Our commitment extends beyond the school grounds. We are enhancing the local environment by working with local consultants and Tree Appeal to plant over 7,000 hedgerow plants in Huddersfield. This effort aims to increase biodiversity and improve the natural landscape of the area. Additionally, we collaborated with EPIKS (Environmental Projects in Kirklees) to create safer pathways for active travel to schools involving building pathways, litter picking, creating vistas, building habitats, and putting up information boards.
We also provided work experience placements in our Leeds office for school and college students in the surrounding areas. This experience offered them a real insight into the design process.
