Today was an extraordinary day on campus (18.6.26) as we welcomed the incredible team from Walking with Reptiles! Our students had the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with a fascinating variety of cold-blooded creatures, turning the school day into an unforgettable wildlife adventure.

Hands-On Learning and Creature Features

The students were absolutely thrilled to meet a diverse lineup of reptiles, including snakes, geckos, chameleons, and several other amazing creatures.

During the interactive session, our brave students were able to:

• Hold and touch the reptiles under the safe guidance of the experts.
• Discover natural habitats and learn exactly where these creatures live in the wild.
• Ask burning questions about reptile behavior, diets, and survival skills.

It was incredible to see the initial nerves turn into pure wonder and curiosity as the children learned just how gentle and vital these animals are to our ecosystem.

A Very Special Birthday Thank You!

A Huge Shout-Out! This unforgettable experience was made possible thanks to the immense generosity of one of our wonderful parents. They chose to share this incredible reptile encounter with the whole group as part of their child’s birthday celebration.

Thank you so much for bringing this joy and learning to our students—it is a birthday gift the entire school will be talking about for a very long time!

Check out our gallery below to see some of the amazing highlights and the brave faces of our student handlers!

     

Sporting Legends and Over 450 Children Celebrate the Return of Inspiring Experience Day in Chelmsford 

Earlier this week, (8.6.26) the Chelmsford Sport and Athletics Centre was filled with energy, smiles, and inspiration as the Sir Geoff Hurst School joined over 450 young people from across East Anglia for an unforgettable day of sports and activities.

Hosted on behalf of The President’s Sporting Club and The Essex Disabled Sports Foundation, this annual experience day made a triumphant return. It marked the first time the centre has been able to host the event since 2019, following a hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

A Day Packed with Action and Adventure

Despite the unpredictable weather, the students threw themselves into over 30 different activities and sports. The atmosphere was electric as the children discovered new passions and pushed their boundaries.

Some of the day's favorite sports included:

• Trampolining
• Judo
• Volleyball
• Athletics

Star-Studded Support from Sporting Heroes

The children weren't alone in their sporting endeavors. A star-studded lineup of regional and national sporting celebrities, patrons, and ambassadors turned out to cheer on the youngsters and share their expertise.

The event was supported by:

• Sir Trevor Brooking (Football legend)
• Peter Shilton (England's most-capped male footballer)
• Tony Cottee (Former West Ham and England striker)
• Frank Bruno MBE (Former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion)
• The Mayor of Chelmsford

Empowering Lives Through Sport

The core mission of The President’s Sporting Club is to use the power of sport to improve the self-confidence, physical development, and self-esteem of children with disabilities.

To date, the charity has raised well over £2.5 million, all of which has been donated to schools and organisations to provide vital sporting opportunities.

"Students had a wonderful time and, despite the weather, embraced so many new experiences and met their sporting heroes—all thanks to the incredible dedication of this fantastic charity."

Catch Up on the Action

If you missed the excitement or want to relive the highlights, you can check out the special feature by BBC Look East, which captured the joy and community spirit of the day.

• Watch: Find the BBC Look East piece on their official catch-up platform.

Get Involved: To learn more about upcoming events, donate, or discover how you can support their life-changing work, visit the official President’s Sporting Club website.

At SGH, we believe learning shouldn’t be confined to four walls. That’s why our Key Stage 2 children spend time each week at the Melbourne community allotment, participating in hands-on environmental education.

Here is how this muddy, magical partnership helps our students thrive:

• Serious Fun: From unearthing "buried treasure" (like giant potatoes!) to bug hunting and building insect hotels, the allotment turns nature into the ultimate playground.
• Real-World Skills: Children don’t just grow veggies; they bring science to life. They learn about ecosystems, weather patterns, and sustainable living, all while mastering practical tools and teamwork.
• Growing Wellbeing: Nature is a natural stress-reliever. Spending time outdoors boosts our students' mental health, builds physical strength, and nurtures self-esteem as they see their hard work bloom.

The harvest doesn't just stay on the plot! Our students love tasting their fresh produce, turning healthy eating into an exciting, plot-to-plate journey.

At our school, providing specialised support is at the absolute heart of what we do. We believe that emotional wellbeing is the foundation for all learning, and we are dedicated to supporting our pupils’ unique daily needs.

To ensure our environment is safe, understanding, and inclusive, our staff are comprehensively trained in Essex Trauma Perceptive Practice (TPP) and PRICE Training. These frameworks empower our team to understand pupil behaviors, support social-emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs, and maintain a compassionate, positive atmosphere.

Beyond our core staff, we are proud to offer enhanced therapeutic support:

• Art Therapy: We host a specialist Art Therapist one day a week. Art therapy provides our pupils with a safe, creative outlet to explore and express complex feelings that they might find difficult to put into words, building self-esteem and emotional resilience.
• On-site Counselling: Through our strong partnership with Renew, we have a qualified counsellor on-site one day a week. Working alongside our classrooms, they offer vital, dedicated guidance as our pupils navigate their way through life’s challenges.

      

We are incredibly proud to announce that we are a Jack Petchey school, running the prestigious Silver Scheme for our second consecutive year.

This fantastic initiative provides a wonderful opportunity for our pupils to be formally recognised for their outstanding achievements, hard work, and positive contributions to both our school and the wider community.

What is the Jack Petchey Scheme?

The Jack Petchey Foundation was established to inspire and motivate young people across London and Essex. The Achievement Award Scheme is a reward and recognition initiative which enables schools to celebrate the efforts of young people who have gone above and beyond.

It is not just about academic excellence; awards are given to those who show commitment, overcome personal challenges, or help others.

• Pupil-Led Nominations: Award winners are nominated by their peers and staff.
• The Reward: Each winner receives a framed certificate, a pin badge, and a £300 grant to spend on a school project or resource of their choice—giving our pupils a direct say in shaping their school environment.

Celebrating Success: The Chelmsford Awards Evening

The celebration doesn’t stop at school! Our proud award winners are invited to attend a prestigious annual Awards Evening at the Chelmsford Civic Theatre.

This inspiring event brings together schools and community groups from across the entire Chelmsford borough. It is a memorable night where our pupils take to the stage in front of family and friends to be officially presented with their well-deserved Jack Petchey Medallion.

At our school, positive choices this year have led to some incredible rewards for 2025 - 2026. Throughout the week, students earn Behaviour Points for hard work, kindness, and great choices. Every Friday, those points turn into unforgettable experiences during our Enrichment Friday sessions!

The more points a student earns, the higher the tier they unlock. Here is how our Gold, Silver, and Bronze adventures have shaped up so far this year:

🌟 Gold Tier: Ultimate Community Adventures

Our top point-earners unlock exclusive trips out into the local community. We love celebrating our Gold students with high-energy, high-fun excursions!

• Bowling at King Pin and City Bowl 🎳
• Laser Quest battles 🔫
• Rascal Bay Crazy Golf ⛳
• Skreens Park outdoor adventures 🌲
• Ace's Bakery for a well-deserved drink and cake 🍰

🥈 Silver Tier: Local Parks & Recreation

Students in the Silver tier head out into the community to enjoy fresh air, team games, and beautiful local landmarks.

• Exploring and relaxing at Hylands Park 🌳
• Sports and recreation at Melbourne Park 🏃‍♂️

🥉 Bronze Tier: On-Site Action & Creative Hub

Our Bronze tier keeps the fun right here on campus, utilizing our fantastic school facilities for hands-on, engaging activities.

• Crack the codes in our On-Site Escape Rooms 🔐
• Get creative in the Kitchen or the Salon 🍳💇‍♀️
• Burn off some energy in the Soft Play area or with On-Site Sports 🏀

How It Works

1. Earn: Collect behaviour points from Monday to Thursday.
2. Unlock: Your total weekly points determine your tier (Gold, Silver, or Bronze).
3. Choose: On Friday, pick your preferred activity within your unlocked tier!

Aim High, Choose Big! Every single week is a fresh start. 

We are incredibly proud of our Headteacher, Tracey Plane, who successfully completed the London Marathon in support of the National Autistic Society! It was an amazing achievement for a fantastic cause that is very close to our hearts.

But the running didn’t stop there! Inspired by Tracey’s dedication, the entire school laced up their trainers and took part in the Mini Marathon.

It was a truly great day for everyone involved, filled with team spirit, determination, and lots of smiles. Thank you to our wonderful school community for all of your support and encouragement!

We are delighted to have taken delivery of our new minibus. We can't wait to hit the road for more community adventures, local outings, and exciting trips!

We are absolutely thrilled to announce an incredibly generous donation from Penguin Books to our brand-new library! Thanks to their kindness, our shelves are now stocked with amazing stories, inspiring adventures, and brilliant new worlds for our pupils to explore.

Creating a space where our students can foster a lifelong love of reading is so important to us, and Penguin Books has helped make that dream a reality. We can’t wait to see our pupils diving into these fantastic new titles!

Consultation Form

Online consultation event at 5.30 pm on Thursday, 14th November recording is here

The Sir Geoff Hurst Academy is a proposed SEMH Special school, with 15 residential places to open in Chelmsford, Fox Crescent, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 2BN. The proposed school is a new building. The local authority selected and provided the site as part of the Essex Council local authority competition process.  

The school is being proposed by TBT, which was formed on the 1st of April 2019. Its predecessor organisation, The Beckmead Family of Schools, was an outstanding, ambitious organisation frequently asked for support and guidance by special schools, Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) and Alternative Provision (AP) settings across the country. TBT is currently commissioned for 628 children and young people between the ages of 5 and 19 on ten different sites and provides a unique mix of expertise and experience for vulnerable children, young people, and their families. TBT is an Approved Academy Sponsor approved by the Department of Education to enter the ‘pre-opening’ phase for Sir Geoff Hurst Academy. 

The Sir Geoff Hurst Academy is a new 7-16 school, scheduled to open in January 2025, offering 65 new places when full, 15 of which will be offered with residential provision (Mon - Thu). It will initially open into a new building. Sir Geoff Hurst will address a significant local increase in pupils with an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) that specifies Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) as their primary need and additional associated needs such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Essex County Council has evidenced high demand for this type of specialist provision from parents across Essex. Given that maintained placements are currently unable to meet this level of demand, the new school will alleviate pressure on places while reducing High Needs cost pressures for the LA. Sir Geoff Hurst will complement and enhance the existing provision. 

In its opening year, Sir Geoff Hurst will provide 64 much-needed pupil places for students across KS2, KS3 and KS4 who have a formal diagnosis on their EHCP.  Many will be disengaged from formal school settings, permanently excluded, subject to fixed-term suspension, or at risk of permanent exclusion, and those whose needs cannot be met in mainstream education. When full, the school will have a capacity of 64 pupils. There will be 15 residential places in three “houses” on the school site.

The Special School will partner with the voluntary sector to deliver positive diversionary activities and a wraparound youth offer for pre- and post-school-day enrichment and weekend and holiday programmes. 

Consultation on the proposed Sir Geoff Hurst Academy

The consultation period is 7 pm Friday 18th October 2024 - 7 pm Friday 29th November 2024.

The Beckmead Trust is consulting on its proposals to open a new SEMH special school, Sir Geoff Hurst Academy, Fox Crescent, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 2BN, on 1st January 2025

All are welcome to attend the online consultation event at 5.30 pm on Thursday 14th November by clicking here.

This will be an opportunity to meet representatives of the Trust, ask questions and share your views.

Introduction

The Sir Geoff Hurst Academy is a proposed SEMH Special school, with 15 residential places to open in Chelmsford, Fox Crescent, Chelmsford, Essex CM1 2BN. The proposed school is a new building. The local authority selected and provided the site as part of the Brent Council local authority competition process.  

The school is being proposed by TBT which formed on the 1st of April 2019. Its predecessor organisation, The Beckmead Family of Schools, was an outstanding, ambitious organisation which was frequently asked for support and guidance by special schools, Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) and Alternative Provision (AP) settings across the country. TBT is currently commissioned for a total of 628 children and young people between the age of 5 and 19 on ten different sites and is providing a unique mix of expertise and experience for vulnerable children, young people, and their families. TBT is an Approved Academy Sponsor approved by the Department of Education to enter the ‘pre-opening’ phase for Sir Geoff Hurst Academy. 

The Sir Geoff Hurst Academy is a new 7-16 school, scheduled to open in January 2025  offering 65 new places when full, 15 of which will be offered with residential provision (Mon - Thu). It will initially open into a new building. Sir Geoff Hurst will address a significant local increase in pupils with an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) that specifies Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) as their primary need and additional associated needs such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Essex County Council has evidenced high demand for this type of specialist provision from parents across Essex. Given that maintained placements are currently unable to meet this level of demand, the new school will alleviate pressure on places while reducing High Needs cost pressures for the LA. Sir Geoff Hurst will complement and enhance the existing provision. 

In its opening year, Sir Geoff Hurst will provide 64 much-needed pupil places for students across KS2, KS3 and KS4 who have a formal diagnosis on their EHCP.  Many will be disengaged from formal school settings, permanently excluded, subject to fixed term suspensions or at risk of permanent exclusion, and those whose needs cannot be met in mainstream education. When full, the school will have a capacity of 64 pupils. There will be 15 residential places in three “houses” on the school site.

The Special School will partner with the voluntary sector to deliver positive diversionary activities, a wraparound youth offer for pre- and post-school-day enrichment, and weekend and holiday programmes. 

Background

Free schools and academies approved to open by the Department for Education must conduct a thorough and transparent statutory consultation with parents and local stakeholders before a final funding agreement can be implemented.

This is known as a Section 10 Consultation in reference to Section 10 of the Academies Act 2010. The Act states you should consult such persons as the trust thinks appropriate. The key question for which trusts must consult is whether the trust should set up the free school. 

TBT devised and implemented a consultation exercise, which sought the views of parents, stakeholders and the broader community on whether the trust should enter into a funding agreement with the Secretary of State for Education and open Sir Geoff Hurst

Vision 

The values of love, flourishing, social justice and community will drive the vision. Love will be enacted through person-centred, nurturing, empathetic, compassionate education and care. Flourishing will be enabled throughout the school and staff, promoting transforming, energetic practice that allows all learning community members to thrive. Social justice will be delivered by school systems, high expectations, and pedagogical excellence that ensures fairness, equality, and democracy for all members of the school community and its partner organisations, which will maximise progress in learning and personal development for all pupils. In essence, we offer a fusion of education and care based on the principles of social pedagogy. We see outreach work to improve the practice of supporting children with complex SEMH and autism needs in mainstream schools by sharing expertise as a key strand within the collaborative ethos of the new school.

Our overarching vision involves collaboration with specialist and mainstream schools, agencies and the private, voluntary and charity sectors of the communities in which we work. Our schools already liaise closely with LA teams and health professionals, including CAMHS personnel, educational psychologists, therapists, and careers advisers based on individual pupil needs in order to maximise the well-being and future life chances of our children and young people. 

To ensure the provision transforms lives by empowering young people to develop resilience and ambition, the vision for the alternative provision is to:

• Create a centre of excellence

• Create an alternative approach for disengaged pupils with vocational opportunities, pastoral support, mentors and partners.

• Support the most vulnerable groups of young people

• Deliver a truly wraparound service 

• Offer a broad curriculum based on national best practice

• Create a unifying presence in Brent, with strong relationships with Brent schools 

• Reduce permanent exclusions

• Ensure successful reintegration into the mainstream, where appropriate 

• Guide students into secure employment and achieve strong post-school outcomes  

• Reconnect young people with their passions

• Build trusted relationships with staff and youth workers

• Support transition arrangements at all stages. 

Ethos

As with all the schools within the TBT, the provision at Sir Geoff Hurst will be an inclusive learning environment in which all pupils are valued, nurtured and treated with dignity and respect to secure progress across subject areas and in personal development. To offer our robust KS4 and post-16 provision and Integrated Youth Offer to guide students into secure employment and achieve strong post-school outcomes, our ethos focusses on strong collaboration with specialist and mainstream schools and agencies and the private, voluntary and charity sectors. We will undertake outreach work to improve the practice of supporting children in danger of exclusion in mainstream schools, and sharing expertise will be a key strand within the collaborative ethos of the new school.

We will ensure that the school becomes a flagship school for practical outreach work. Our track record includes outreach excellence, providing multiple benefits to children beyond our schools. 

Consultation methodology 

TBT decided to complete the 6-week statutory requirements. During this period, TBT offered opportunities for stakeholders to engage with the trust at any time. 

As part of its general communication strategy for Sir Geoff Hurst, TBT published a webpage that is available for public access. The webpage included details of the school’s proposed vision and ethos, referrals policy, curriculum and delivery of learning approach, and an FAQ. Information could also be found on the online consultation forums with a link to the online survey. The FAQ was frequently updated to answer questions raised by stakeholders throughout the consultation.  

An online survey was set up using Survey Monkey, which can be viewed in full in Appendix 1. This survey comprised four questions about the proposed school, each with space for respondents to add comments and explain their views. It also asked respondents to provide details on their identification within the community (e.g., parent/community member/local employer, etc.), with a ‘prefer not to say’ option and a possibility to provide further additional details on who they are in a free text box.

A database of local stakeholders in Chelmsford and Essex as a whole was collated and included:

• Local schools: All-through, primary, secondary, independent, Prep School, PRU, and special schools

• Faith settings

• Health settings

• Community centres, leisure centres and sport clubs

• Youth centres / clubs 

• SEND and inclusion support groups 

• Members of parliament 

• Essex and Chelmsford Councillors

• Lead stakeholders within Essex Council children and families, SEND, and inclusion departments

• Members of advisory committee for schools at Essex Council

• Libraries 

• LGBT support groups 

• Teaching Unions 

• Housing associations and trusts.

• Local media.

Statement of Provision

Introductory statement

Sir Geoff Hurst Academy is a special school offering a nurturing, inclusive environment for 65 pupils with SEMH and associated needs with residential provision for fifteen pupils. We have high expectations for each child to leave as a confident young adult well-prepared for the future. The Sir Geoff Hurst Academy is being built where Rainsford High was located and where Sir Geoff attended school. A hero to many of us as the only man to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final when England was victorious in 1966, our CEO was honoured to meet Sir Geoff in person to ask for permission to name the school after him.

The school will be located in central Chelmsford and will deliver excellent practice and informative teaching aimed at supporting children and young people in accessing meaningful outcomes and life pathways.

The Beckmead Trust Schools are committed to pupils' academic, physical, social, vocational and emotional progress. To allow children to flourish in all aspects of their lives, the Trust believes in nurturing all school community members. We believe the environment needs to reflect this by being warm, purposeful and understandable.

The curriculum presents formal, informal and enriched opportunities for development and progress. This enables the children who graduate from Beckmead to become independent, connected members of their communities and the workplaces that may employ them.

Sir Geoff Hurst Academy is due to open January 2025.