Willmott Dixon has been appointed to deliver Hopescourt School, a new net zero school development in Walton-on-Thames
Willmott Dixon was procured under the Southern Construction Framework and appointed by Surrey County Council to build the school, working as Net Zero Carbon in Operation (NZiO).
The school will be a Special Free School and part of Surrey’s Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) programme.
HNW architects are also working on the project, including specialised learning and teaching environments equipped with special features for sensory and interaction needs.
Hopescourt will be Surrey’s flagship SEND school
It is being designed with outdoor learning, music, and enriching activities, intending to create an inclusive space for every child in support of the school’s ethos: “pause, breathe, think, and flourish.”
Completion is due in Spring 2026. As part of Surrey County Council’s commitment to inclusive education, the school will offer specialist places for 200 autistic pupils aged 4-19 and students with communication and interaction needs.
Hopescourt opened in September at a temporary West Molesey site following two years of planning and development by Surrey County Council, Bourne Education Trust, Woking’s Freemantles School, and the Department for Education Regions Group.
Richard Poulter, managing director at Willmott Dixon in the South, said: “This new school represents a crucial investment in our community, offering children with additional needs a dedicated environment where they can thrive. We are proud to support a project that will have such a positive, lasting impact on families in the area.”
James Wright, SCF’s senior framework manager, said: “We are excited to see Hopescourt School progress, and are proud to support Surrey County Council and Willmott Dixon in delivering this flagship project that will create an inclusive educational environment for all.”
Alex Russell, chief executive officer of Bourne Education Trust, said: “We are delighted that the development of Hopescourt School’s permanent site is underway, and I know that our students, their families and our staff will be excited to see the progress of the new school building over the forthcoming months.
“We look forward to continuing our partnership with Surrey County Council, Willmott Dixon and with Freemantles School in Woking, and to seeing our shared vision for the permanent Hopescourt School site become a reality for children with special educational needs and disabilities.”
One of several NZiO schools for the firm
Other NZiO projects that Willmott Dixon has taken on recently include Bridgend College redevelopment, Wigan & Leigh College’s new campus, and St Lawrence SEND School in Sleaford.
The firm has also been appointed to build the new net zero head office for Oxfordshire County Council. The pipeline of Wilmott Dixon’s NZiO, Passivhaus, or BREEAM projects is currently worth more than £1.4bn.
Net zero schools seeing more support
Earlier this month, Morgan Sindall announced that they would be taking over a SEND school project from ISG.
The collapse of ISG earlier this year left many projects at a standstill, including several schools.
Morgan Sindall will also deliver the SEND school, named Ysgol Llyn Derw, with environmental goals in mind, with built-in features such as solar panels, a hybrid generator, and using natural light and ventilation to reduce the carbon footprint of the construction as much as possible.
In July, Tilbury Douglas completed a Passivhaus school, Wednesfield Technology Primary School, on behalf of the Department for Education.
GRAHAM was also recently appointed to retrofit a primary school in Edinburgh, including repair work, external cladding, accessibility ramps, installing a heat pump and electric heating system, and solar panels on a tower block roof.
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