AN “inspirational” special school has opened a £1m new extension to help meet the needs of its 200 pupils.

Mowbray School in Bedale is one of three North Yorkshire County Council special schools for children aged from three to 16 with Special Educational Needs and disabilities.

The new extension includes three new classrooms, a multi-purpose teaching room, sensory rooms, including a special circuit sensory room for children with autism.

It was opened by chairman of governors Robert Dunning, who said the project had been totally paid for by the school from budgets and fundraising.

He said the new extension will help the school carry on the exceptional work it does. It’s rated good by Ofsted and has achieved national recognition through its school farm.

“It has a reputation for encouraging and inspiring pupils, there is a really good school environment which achieves so much and this is totally down to the amazing staff who have helped the pupils develop, they also have increasing exam success.

“The students are always looked at as individuals - that is really important,” he added.

Headteacher Jonathan Tearle said: “The new teaching facilities have significantly enhanced the learning opportunities for all our pupils and show the school’s ambitions and never-ending commitment to provide the very best for our pupils. It will increase capacity to around 215 pupil places. This will alleviate some of the demand for places at this school, in particular it has allowed us to increase primary classes from nine to eleven and already enabled 12 new pupils to join.

“The specialist calm room is unique, it is a totally safe and secure room, with specialist lighting effects and music, programmed specifically to the stipulations of pupils who at certain times require a place to calm.

“I think it is particularly important that our chair of governors Robert Dunning opened the building. He has helped guide the work of the school and the governors and it is a fitting recognition of the contribution he has made.”

Local architect Robert O’Brien designed the extension which was built by Richmond builders Acomb Construction.