Willmott Dixon’s construction of Surrey County Council’s flagship Net Zero Carbon Special Free School reached a major milestone in its construction.

Pupils and staff from Hopescourt School marked the topping out stage by signing some steel frames that will become part of their new school. They were joined by Surrey County Council, Bourne Education Trust, AtkinsRéalis, and Willmott Dixon in celebrating progress so far.

One of the Year 7 pupils said, “I am so happy that I was nominated to go see the new site. This has made me realise how lucky I am to have been given the opportunities to flourish.”

Hopescourt School pupils signing the steel beams that will form part of their new school building

Hopescourt school in Walton-on-Thames is Surrey’s first ‘Net Zero Carbon in Operation’ (NZiO) specialist free school. It is key to the delivery of Surrey’s Inclusion and Additional Needs Partnership Strategy 2023-2026, aiming to improve inclusion and outcomes for children with additional needs and disabilities in Surrey, ensuring they get the best possible education closer to home.

It will cater for up to 200 autistic pupils and pupils with communication and interaction needs, aged 4-19 years, when the school reaches capacity in 2029. The school will offer outdoor learning, music, and other enriching activities alongside a more traditional curriculum, designed to enhance opportunities and inclusion for students and provide them with essential knowledge and skills for success in adulthood.

Willmott Dixon was procured to build the school via the Southern Construction Framework.

Councillor Clare Curran, Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Lifelong Learning:

"I am delighted to join Hopescourt School pupils and staff to celebrate this key milestone in the construction of their new school. It’s fantastic to see the building take shape with the steel frame in place. This new specialist school will improve the lives of pupils by providing better access to the support they need for healthy, safe, and fulfilling lives. My thanks go to our Land and Property and Education Services, Bourne Education Trust, Willmott Dixon and our wider partnership for all their work to create this new specialist provision for Surrey children.”

Alex Russell, CEO of Bourne Education Trust said:

“Today’s steel signing ceremony is a powerful reminder of why we're creating Hopescourt School - to provide an environment where every child can reach their full potential. The new building, with its specialist facilities and sustainable design, represents our joint vision of inclusive education that truly meets the needs of our pupils. This building will be more than just a school and we are immensely grateful to our partners for helping us turn this vision into reality for Surrey families.”

Alex Burrows, Headteacher of Hopescourt School said:

“It was an honour to attend the steel signing alongside our brilliant school council. I feel incredibly proud of the work that our staff undertake every day to meet the needs of our pupils, and it is exciting to see the structure of our new school starting to take shape. We are building a school for the future and our whole community are really looking forward to seeing the end result.”

Richard Poulter, Managing Director at Willmott Dixon said:

“We are proud to support Surrey County Council’s Inclusion and Additional Needs Partnership Strategy by providing 200 much-needed school places for children and young people aged 4 to 19 with special educational needs requirements. Delivering Surrey’s first Net Zero in Operation school is a testament to our commitment to sustainability and community impact, ensuring a lasting legacy that aligns with Hopescourt’s ethos for generations to come.”

Senior building manager James Greenwood from Willmott Dixon discussing the new school building with pupils and headteacher Alex Burrows (left)

The new school is part of Surrey’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Capital Programme and will offer much-needed specialist school places. The first cohorts of 77 pupils, currently at a temporary site in West Molesey, look forward to the new school opening in spring 2026.