New lease of life for Melksham House: A sneak peek inside ahead of specialist school opening

After two years’ renovation, Melksham House has been given a new lease of life and is due to host the county’s first-ever school for children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs (SEMH).

Melksham News was given a tour of the renovated 17th-century Grade II listed building this month, which is set to open as an SEMH school in September, subject to Ofsted registration. The school was initially due to open in September last year, but the council stated that this was delayed to ensure they had the right education provider in place.

The school will serve 67 primary and secondary school-aged children from across Wiltshire, including those from Melksham, with complex social, emotional, and/or mental health and medical needs that have prevented them from successfully engaging in or attending mainstream schools.

The building is owned by Wiltshire Council, which has appointed Brunel Education to run the school. It will feature state-of-the-art facilities to support the children, who will also have access to facilities at the neighbouring Community Campus.

Students have already been assessed and registered to fill the spaces at the school, which are funded by Wiltshire Council and other sponsors.

Historical asset

Melksham House is a key asset of the town’s heritage. In 1920, it was owned by the Avon Rubber Company, which used the house as a club and sports centre for employees.

Over the years, the site has been a pivotal part of the town’s history, hosting weddings for many local people as well as various events.

In 2023, Melksham Town Council revealed a plan to buy the building and turn it into a facility for ‘community use’, but Wiltshire Council decided to move forward with plans for the specialist school.

With the renovation complete, the building’s heritage has been maintained throughout as it prepares to open with a new lease of life.

The school’s new headteacher, Beckie Deacon, who has 12 years of leadership experience in specialist schools said, “I am absolutely delighted to be the new headteacher and really excited to get this off the ground. We can’t wait to welcome in the first cohort of students.”

‘One-of-a-kind’

Wiltshire Council’s cabinet member for SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) said, “The opening of the school will ensure more children and young people can stay local rather than being bussed out to out-of-county placements or having Education Other Than in School packages of support.

“There is currently no specialist Social, Emotional and Mental Health Needs (SEMH) primary school provision for children who have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) in Wiltshire. There is also an increasing number of secondary age children with an EHCP who require a specialist provision to support their needs. This includes young people who experience higher levels of anxiety which can be a barrier to regular attendance at mainstream school. The school will provide 42 primary places and up to 25 secondary places to Wiltshire children.

“We want our children and young people to have their education in Wiltshire at a school they can experience success in. This is an important move to ensure we have a high-quality, first-class education for pupils attending this school. We have appointed Brunel Education as the education provider. They already operate three schools in Wiltshire; Exeter House, St Marks and Wyndham Park.

“Every child deserves an excellent education that helps them thrive, go for every opportunity and work towards their goals. As part of our business plan, we state we want to ensure the right services are in the right place and having this local school means more children staying local and fewer having to travel out of county.”