--- title: "DfE New School Building" url: "https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/dfe-new-school-building" school: "Applebee Wood School" --- # DfE New School Building ## Our New School Building Journey ![](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/images/imgi_4_2f5ee9ed-e649-4ba8-a512-0d8c0adb1d26_1x1.jpg) August 2024 *We are pleased to inform parents and the local community that Applebee Wood Community Specialist School has been selected as part of the Department for Education’s School Rebuilding Programme. As such, a planning application is being assembled on our behalf by our planning consultants, Iceni Projects, which proposes to demolish the existing school building and develop a new school building and external areas at the existing site.* *As you’ll likely be aware, the current school building is not fit for purpose and is coming to the end of its operational lifespan. Originally, the school was delivered for secondary school children with moderate learning difficulties, however we now accommodate students aged 4 to 16 with a wide variety of increasingly complex needs. The school now hosts children with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD), including specialist non-ambulant classes, and there is a projected rise in children with higher than moderate learning difficulties in the area. To ensure that the school is able to continue to offer our students a high-quality learning environment which caters for their increasing range of complex needs, there is a fundamental requirement for a new school building and grounds to be delivered.* [>>Read the full article<<](https://applebee-wood-school.schudio.com/news/2024-08-21-applebee-wood-new-school-build) --- ### Ground Breaking Ceremony November 2025 ![](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/images/news/AWS_Pupils_Join_leaders_and_partners-everyone.jpg) November 2025 On Tuesday, 25th November 2025, marked an historic day for the Applebee Wood School community. Staff, students, and key partners gathered under bright autumn skies to celebrate the official groundbreaking ceremony for our brand-new school building. This exciting development comes at a pivotal time, as Applebee Wood School proudly settles into its new position under the umbrella of The Sea View Trust Multi Academy Trust. The start of construction symbolizes not just new bricks and mortar, but a renewed commitment to providing the very best educational environment for our young people. [>>Read the full article<<](https://applebee-wood-school.schudio.com/news/2026-01-22-a-momentous-day-construction-officially-begins-on-the-new-applebee-wood-school) --- ### Steel Signing Day February 2026 ![](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/images/news/Tilbury_Douglas_2nd_Batch_Stills_-_Applebee_Wood20.jpg) February 2026 **Building for the Future** The ceremony saw pupils, School and Trust staff and representatives from Tilbury Douglas and the Department for Education gather to sign a steel beam which was then lifted into position by a crane, forming an integral part of the new structure. This event allowed the Applebee Wood community to make their mark at the very heart of their future school building. Looking forward to the opportunities the new school building will provide, **Headteacher John Cockerill** shared, *“*Today marks an exciting milestone in our school’s journey as our children and staff took part in the steel signing for our new building. It was a wonderful moment of pride and anticipation, giving everyone the chance to leave their mark, quite literally, on the future of our school. Seeing the structure take shape before our eyes has brought a real sense of excitement and possibility to our community.” [>>Read the full article here<< ](https://applebee-wood-school.schudio.com/news/2026-04-28-steel-signing-ceremony-2026) [ >>Watch the promotional video from Tilbury Douglas<<](https://www.tilburydouglas.co.uk/videos/) --- Keep updated on the school build by following our [Facebook page](https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61584470270859), reading our school newsletter and checking this page ### Related News ![Image of Steel Signing Ceremony 2026](https://files.schudio.com/applebee-wood-school/imagecache/720x440c/news/Instagram_post_AWS_Steel_Signing.png) 28 April 2026 ### [Steel Signing Ceremony 2026](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/news/2026-04-28-steel-signing-ceremony-2026) ![Image of Steel Signing Ceremony 2026](https://files.schudio.com/applebee-wood-school/imagecache/720x440c/news/Instagram_post_AWS_Steel_Signing.png) 28 April 2026 ### [Steel Signing Ceremony 2026](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/news/2026-04-28-steel-signing-ceremony-2026) ![Image of Steel Signing Ceremony 2026](https://files.schudio.com/applebee-wood-school/imagecache/720x440c/news/Instagram_post_AWS_Steel_Signing.png) 28 April 2026 ### [Steel Signing Ceremony 2026](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/news/2026-04-28-steel-signing-ceremony-2026) [View All News](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/news/tag/building%252Cdfe%252Cdevelopments%252Cconstruction%252Cmilestone) ### Our School - [Welcome](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/welcome) - [School Vision, Belief & Aims](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/school-vision-belief-aims) - [Meet Our Colleagues](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/meet-our-colleagues) - [Meet Our School Governors](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/governors) - [Collective Worship](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/collective-worship) - [Vacancies](https://theseaviewtrust.face-ed.co.uk/VACANCIES) - [Contact Us](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/contact) - [DfE New School Building](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/dfe-new-school-building) - [The Sea View Trust](https://theseaviewtrust.co.uk/) - [Website Information](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/website-information) ![Applebee Wood School](https://files.schudio.com/applebee-wood-school/images/logo/Untitled_design(5).png) ### Applebee Wood School Far Croft Lostock Hall Preston PR5 5SS 01772 336976 ### Policies - [Website Policy](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/website-policy) - [Accessibility Statement](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/accessibility-statement) ### Translation [![The Sea View Trust (Reg in England and Wales)](https://files.schudio.com/applebee-wood-school/images/logo/SVT_logo_-_white_lettering(1).png)](https://theseaviewtrust.co.uk) © Copyright 2025–2026 Applebee Wood School School & Trust Websites by [ ![Schudio logo](https://www.applebeewood.co.uk/img/logo/light.png) ](https://www.schudio.com/)