NEW state-of-the art classrooms have opened at a Southend special needs school amid hopes it will ease the pressure on education services.

The new building at Lancaster School, in Prittlewell Chase, has three new classrooms which means the school will be able to offer 40 more spaces to students.

Headteacher Tom Owen has revealed his delight at seeing the new building and classrooms open.

He said: “These new classrooms give us the capacity to take more students with special needs.

“We have already had these new places taken and the school has grown significantly, being now able to have 120 students on roll.

“The reason this was planned, and the project was completed was to help relieve some pressure off the SEN Trust, and we had their full support for this.

“Three, or four years ago we saw the need for more places and to provide better facilities.

“What we need is better modern facilities, and here we now have three new large classrooms, with the modern facilities to cater for youngsters with severe, profound needs.”

The building work started in January 2022, with the new classrooms officially opening on Monday.

School bosses worked closely with builders A W Hardy & Co, who completed the works with "minimal disruption" while pupils were on site.

SEN Trust Southend works closely with the council and parents to meet the needs for those people who need additional support.

Anna Firth, MP for Southend West, was in attendance for a special opening event alongside SEN Trust executive headteacher, Jackie Mullans.

The school's youngest pupil, Darcey, was also a special guest at the ceremony.

Ms Firth said: “I am so happy to be able to open the new building at Lancaster School.

“I visited the school earlier this month, and I know the hard work that everyone here and, in the trust, does.

“I trust that this new building is going to see the school develop tremendously.

“Lancaster School is a true asset to Southend West.”