On 4^th July 2006, the Department for Education & Skills (DfES) announced that Lansbury Bridge School (St Helens) has been awarded Specialist Sports College status. The purpose built, ground breaking special educational needs school was officially opened on Thursday 8^th June by Children, Young People and Families Minister, Beverley Hughes.

The new school has been designed to meet the specific requirements of its pupils and is set to become one of the best equipped special educational needs centres in the country. Its sports and recreational provision include swimming and hydrotherapy pools, full size sports hall, a playing field, hard and soft play areas, a netball court and an orienteering path.

Knight, Kavanagh & Page supported the School's application to the DfES for Specialist Sports College status. This complex assignment involved working with the two distinct schools that have come together at Lansbury Bridge, producing supporting evidence about how acquisition of the status will enhance performance, detailing objectives and targets and supporting the completion of the application documentation.

Commenting on the award, John Eady (Chief Executive) said; we are delighted that the school has been awarded this status - it is a testament to the work put in by the School itself and by PE Advisory and Sports Development Services colleagues at St Helens Council. The new school, particularly with the additional PE and school sport resources that accompany this status will offer superb opportunities to its pupils and be strongly positioned to drive and support work with special needs pupils at other schools across the Authority.

For further details, please contact:

John Eady

Chief Executive

Tel: 0161 764 7040