A beacon of inclusive education
Pear Tree High School - a purpose
built SEND School for Stockport
Learn more about how this beacon of inclusive education is helping students with SEND, and their families, reach their full potential...
A beacon of inclusive education: Pear Tree High School
Pear Tree High School, a newly opened Specialist Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) school in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, is redefining inclusive education.
Operated by the Prospere Learning Trust and funded and delivered by the Department for Education through its Construction Framework 21, the school welcomed its first cohort of students in October 2024.
Designed to serve 133 pupils aged 11–19, Pear Tree High School fills a critical gap in local SEND provision, offering a purpose-built environment tailored to the diverse needs of its learners.
Click to watch the video to see just what an impact this new purpose-built SEND school has had on the teachers and their students
This school is really, really important, because it has enabled us to bridge the gap in provision and give the students what they deserve. The school was purpose built; it's enriching the learning and giving as many opportunities to the students. The building gives us the opportunity to deliver the curriculum we want to, and the impact it has had is massive! The students want to be here and it has created a environment which our students thrive in. The joy it brings the students is unbelievable and that enlightens our lives, it really does.
Project Team
Framework DfE CF21End User Prospere Learning TrustContractor Morgan SindallArchitect AHRPM Mott MacDonaldMEP TACEStructural Clancy
Key Facts
£19.8m Purpose-built new buildTwo-storey SEND school133 pupil places for 11-19yr oldsNet Zero Carbon in OperationDelivered on time and budget9/10 customer satisfaction346tCO2e saved during construction53.71% social value return73% SME spend100% waste diverted from landfill6,319 apprentice weeks
The vision behind Pear Tree High School was brought to life through a collaborative effort between educators, architects, and Morgan Sindall Construction.
Co-headteacher Rachel Hughes, who played a pivotal role in shaping the school’s design, described the process as deeply inclusive:
“We were involved in every decision - from the colour of the corridors to the layout of the classrooms. Every element was chosen to support our students’ needs. That's why collaboration is important - we're not the experts in construction, but we are the experts in how our students need to be supported, so that close working relationship during the design and construction phase was critical."
The school features:
Outdoor classrooms and self-regulation spaces connected to every ground-floor classroom.
A trim trail and outdoor gym for physical activity and emotional regulation.
A petting area and horticulture zone to support practical learning and vocational pathways.
A forest school, immersive sensory rooms, and plans for a student-designed café and grounding pathways.
These facilities are not just aesthetic additions - they are integral to the school’s holistic approach to education, which blends academic learning with life skills and emotional development.
Beyond the bricks and mortar, Pear Tree High School has had a profound emotional impact on its students and their families. Rachel Hughes speaks passionately about the joy and pride that radiates from the school community:
“If a student doesn’t want to be in school, then we need to look at the environment and see what is wrong, but we don’t have one student that doesn’t want to be in Pear Tree High School.”
Attendance rates are consistently above 90%, a testament to the welcoming, supportive environment the school has created. Hughes describes the transformation she sees in students:
“Seeing the students really, really happy and progressing the way they are progressing… the bonds they’re making with each other, regardless of need, is really, really important.”
The school’s design has empowered students to become more independent, confident, and engaged in their own learning journey. From helping design the outdoor gym and animal area to shaping future projects like the on-site café and forest school, students are active participants in their education.
“The students are empowered. They have a voice and they’re able to be independent. That’s what the school has brought. These young people, and their families, have a right to have a building as special as this one so that they can grow in it.”
We were able to contribute a lot and at every point we were involved. Everything we did, we did together It was a really good team, they were really accommodating, very friendly and all the workers were brilliant - there was never anything they wouldn't do for us. They were outward thinking in terms of our vision, stuck within the budget but they also helped us come to a real middle ground, and that reflection on choices was excellent - we trusted them. By the time we finished, they knew us, they knew our students, and could see the massive impact it has had on our students. So yeh, it was like they felt part of the building and it was a shame when they left!
Click to watch the film about the customer experience
Across the UK, demand for SEND school places has surged, with many existing schools oversubscribed.
In Stockport alone, Rachel Hughes noted that all ten existing SEND schools were full, leaving many families without local options. Pear Tree High School was commissioned to address this shortfall, ensuring that students with additional needs can access education close to home, fostering a sense of community and belonging.
SEND schools like Pear Tree are vital because they offer:
Tailored curricula that adapt mainstream subjects to individual learning needs.
Accreditation pathways that prepare students for supported internships, employment, or further education.
Community integration, helping students build identity and pride in their local area.
Pear Tree High School is more than a building - it’s a growing community.
As Rachel Hughes reflects, “Our students are empowered. They have a voice. They help shape the school.” With plans to expand its curriculum, deepen community ties, and continue evolving its facilities, Pear Tree stands as a model for what inclusive education can, and should, look like.
Along with our customers, we want to create outstanding SEND schools. In the build up to projects, we are frequently asked the question – what makes agreat SEND school?
Despite being engaged in the design and construction of numerous SEND schools and residential facilities, it had become apparent that there is little evidenced-backed best practice available for the design and construction of these specialist facilities.
To unpack the question of how we create great SEND schools, we brought together experts, partners, clients, collaborators, and influencers from the public and private sectors, to examine how the delivery pathway could be enhanced for all stakeholders.
Following a three-year research process, we were able to capture over 600 data points that were fed straight back into the development of a SEND Blueprint for Success - a guidance document that could help stakeholders (including headteachers) develop a school specific brief for their new SEND school.
Click on the guide or the videos, to learn more about this journey.
