Horizons Academy
Located on the former Ravensdale School site in Mansfield, the £30m purpose-built school has transformed a derelict site that had remained vacant since 2001. The development has not only revitalised the local area but supports Nottinghamshire County Council in their commitment to addressing the growing demand for more specialist school places across the county.
Arc Partnership led the design, cost management and project management, working in collaboration with Morgan Sindall Construction through the SCAPE Construction framework on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council. The project follows the successful completions of Bingham Primary School, Rosecliffe Spencer Academy and Millside Spencer Academy through this collaboration in the last five years.
Having laid vacant for more than 20 years, the site required significant clearance and levelling works ahead of construction. The scale of the development and the complexity of the site levels, presented significant design and engineering challenges that required a coordinated response. Led by Arc partnership the design centres on a creative split-level approach for the site. By carefully integrating the building layout with the site's natural topography, the team avoided extensive retaining walls, delivering a solution that balanced technical, commercial and aesthetic objectives while overcoming challenges that were considered difficult to achieve - and demonstrating the value of design leadership that values buildability and multidisciplinary thinking from the outset.
Ensuring that the school met the diverse and high-level needs of its 160 pupils, Arc Partnership’s Design Team ensured full compliance with regulations for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision, including appropriate building and ground requirements.
A strong emphasis was placed on meeting the needs of pupils with SEMH and ASD requirements. This included the provision of internal and external quiet spaces, offering opportunities for pupils to regulate, reflect and retreat when required. Through close collaboration with the Trust and teaching staff the interior design incorporates a carefully considered palette of pastel and natural tones, alongside complementary surface finishes that create a calm and supportive learning environment.
The design is underpinned by biophilic principles, promoting a connection between pupils and the natural environment through views of external planting, access to outdoor spaces and the integration of natural materials and colours. These measures are intended to reduce stress, support cognitive function, and enhance overall wellbeing, helping to create an environment in which all pupils can thrive both academically and personally.
To ensure a safe and resilient environment, robust, hard-wearing materials were specified throughout, alongside specialist design features such as anti-ligature fittings, anti-climb measures, boxed-in services and enhanced site security. Clear wayfinding, appropriate lighting, and specialist washroom and hygiene facilities were also incorporated to support a wide range of user needs.
Delivered on time and within budget, Horizons Academy was officially handed over to Diverse Academies Trust in December 2025, with the school's official opening in March 2026. Bringing life back into the area after more than twenty years, the state-of-the-art school provides specialist facilities including sensory zones and escape spaces tailored to support pupils as they grow throughout the school into adulthood.
The 4,201m² building was constructed using the Innovaré i-FAST system, a timber-framed Structural Insulated Panel System (SIPS), a first for Arc Partnership in its school delivery for Nottinghamshire County Council. The use of SIPS integrates structural strength and high levels of thermal and acoustic efficiency within one standalone panelised system.
The inclusion of factory-fitted windows enabled the building envelope to become weather-tight at an early stage of the programme delivery, with panels craned into position over a period of just a few weeks.
Compared with a traditional steel frame solution, the approach also reduced embodied carbon, achieving a saving of more than 750 tonnes of CO₂e from the design, the equivalent to heating 280 UK homes annually.
Designed to support pupils from Key Stage 2 through to Post-16 provision, the school is organised into ‘contained schools’ within the building. Each key stage is based within clusters of four to six classrooms, supported by satellite dining areas to minimise sensory overload from larger communal spaces. This layout supports smoother transitions between age groups, creates a calmer and more nurturing environment, and incorporates access-controlled zones to enhance safeguarding measures.
Large, spacious classrooms are located next to sensory and calm areas, equipped with specialist lighting and thermally controlled heating to support pupils with special educational needs.
Dedicated facilities including soft play, art, science, fitness, and design and technology suites, enable pupils to develop practical, transferable skills that build independence beyond the classroom.
Comfort cooling throughout the building further maintains a stable and comfortable learning environment and supports the pupils in regulating their temperatures.
Externally, the scheme includes extensive outdoor provision, including two 4G pitches, multi-use games area, fitness equipment and wooden play spaces. Significant boundary planting has contributed to biodiversity net gain, supporting habitat enhancement and restoration. Roof-mounted photovoltaic (PV) panels and air source heat pumps further contribute to the overall sustainability of the all-electric school’s design.
By embedding social value at the heart of project delivery, the scheme generated approximately £11m in social impact, directly benefitting communities across Nottinghamshire. This included the delivery of 560 apprentice weeks, 139 volunteering hours, and 86 hours of school engagement, alongside the appointment of a predominantly local workforce (56%) to support regional employment and skills development throughout the project.
Close collaboration with Nottinghamshire County Council, Arc Partnership, Morgan Sindall and wider supply chain was fundamental to the project's success. Combined with the adoption of modern methods of construction (MMC), the partnership approach enabled the £30m scheme to be delivered within 70 weeks, on time and within budget, while achieving high-quality educational, environmental and social outcomes, and contributing 160 new SEND pupil places for Nottinghamshire families.
