The project ‘will make a lasting difference to the lives of children for years to come’
Construction work begins on Inglemire Lane in Hull to create a new specialist school(Image: Hull City Council)
Construction work has started on a new specialist school in Hull. Willowfield Academy will cater for 125 pupils with severe physical and/or learning difficulties and sit on the site that currently hosts Frederick Holmes School and Platform Daycare Centre on Inglemire Lane.
Hull City Council said the new school will allow more children from Hull with specialist needs to receive an education closer to home and create 100 full-time equivalent jobs. Willowfield has a low‑carbon design which includes a mixture of classrooms, specialist teaching and therapy spaces. It will also boast a hydrotherapy pool.
The school will be accessed from Inglemire Lane and its car park will include accessible spaces, electric vehicle charging and a minibus drop‑off area. Outside, there will be hard and soft play areas and landscaping.
Cllr Linda Tock, portfolio holder for children’s services at the council, said: “The council is delighted that construction works have started for Willowfield Academy. Every child in Hull is entitled to an education in an environment which enables them to maximise their learning and this exciting project will help to achieve that. It further demonstrates the council’s commitment to meeting SEND sufficiency in Hull and create opportunities for those with the most complex needs to thrive.”
Willowfield Academy is being delivered by Hull City Council in partnership with Hull Esteem LEP, with funding and approvals from the Department for Education. Sewell Construction is overseeing the development.
The school construction follows Ganton Special School which opened in 2025 and was a collaboration between the council and Humber Education Trust (HET) Rachel Wilkes, CEO of HET, said: “At Humber Education Trust, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, belong and succeed and working in partnership with the council and Hull Esteem LEP will create an environment for that.
“Reaching this stage in the development of Willowfield Academy is a significant step towards making that vision a reality for more children and families across our community. This investment reflects our Trust’s values of inclusion, ambition and collaboration, and most importantly, our commitment to putting children at the heart of every decision we make.
“We are incredibly proud to be part of a project that will make a lasting difference to the lives of children for years to come.” Both Frederick Holmes School and Platform Daycare Centre will remain open throughout the construction phase.
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