VIP Guest Samantha Dixon cuts the ribbon for Rivacre Brook School

Pupils at a Cheshire school that supports children with special educational needs recently welcomed a VIP visitor who helped them open their brand-new building.

The young people and staff team at Rivacre Brook School were delighted to welcome local MP Samantha Dixon MBE, a Member of Parliament for Chester North and Neston. As well as a guided tour of the school’s facilities, Samantha and other invited guests, who included neighbours and families, enjoyed musical and dance performances from the pupils.

Rivacre Brook School, which is close to Ellesmere Port, is part of Keys Group. The school supports children with special educational needs and social, emotional, and mental health difficulties. The new facilities will allow the school to support more than 40 children, with 32 attending the new Rivacre Brook site with a further 10 children supported at the school’s sister location, in nearby Runcorn.

The school offers personalised timetables which meet the individual needs of every learner. The school has a strong focus on small-group learning, with classes of no more than four students, each with a teacher and a teaching assistant.

Following an extensive construction process, the school’s newly refurbished building was recently completed and its fantastic facilities include brand new classrooms, food technology, and music rooms as well as extensive outdoor spaces. As part of the project, enhanced play equipment was installed outside, along with extended parking for staff and visitors.

A special ribbon-cutting event was held to celebrate the completion of the project with VIP guest Samantha officially opening the extended facilities.

Speaking about the school, she said: “It was an absolute pleasure to meet the pupils and staff at Rivacre Brook. It’s clear that this is a very special place where children feel comfortable, where they enjoy learning, and where it’s clear there’s real ambition and high expectations of what the children can and will achieve with the right support.”

Caroline McPoland, Head Teacher at Rivacre Brook, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Samantha to the school. The pupils and team very much enjoyed meeting her and were proud to show her and our other guests around the school and its brand-new facilities.

“We strive to be a school where children can truly be themselves, where they are understood, and where we can help make a positive difference to their lives. They loved meeting Samantha and sharing this first step on our exciting journey with her and our other guests.”

Keys