Spending of £6m approved for Hampshire’s first specialist SEN unit

Hampshire County Council council approved the spend on Pennington Infant School’s site for a new special educational needs (SEN) unit for up to 50 primary-aged pupils with social, emotional and mental health needs.

The approval allows the council to move forward with the refurbishment work, but the plans still depend on planning permission being granted, which is expected in October.

The former infant school building has been empty since January 2026, when Pennington Infant School and Pennington CE Junior School merged to create Pennington Church of England Primary School.

Under the plans, the building will be remodelled to create a specialist learning environment for pupils with additional needs.

It will include five classrooms, a therapy room, a soft play and sensory room, a learning resource and library area, a life skills room, small group teaching spaces and staff facilities.

The project will also include improvements to the surrounding site.

These include a new pupil drop-off area, extra staff parking, upgraded outdoor play spaces, new fencing and a multi-use games area on the adjacent primary school site.

The new unit will be managed by Pennington Church of England Primary School.

Pupils attending the unit will need the provision named in their education, health and care plan.

Work is expected to begin in January 2027, subject to planning approval, with completion scheduled for summer 2027.

The unit would then open in phases from September 2027, gradually increasing to its full 50-place capacity over three years.

County councillor for  Lymington & Boldre, Jack Davies, said: “This is something that, when I speak to residents in Pennington, they are overwhelmingly in favour of — using the former infant school for this purpose.

“I’m really grateful that the site will be used to provide, hopefully, first-class educational support for local children. We desperately need it here.”