Robertson transforms Liverpool school to boost SEND provision

Bank View School, located in the former Parklands High School building in Speke, has been carefully refurbished to better meet the needs of over 200 SEND pupils. The final phase began in May 2025, with Robertson working closely with end users, Liverpool City Council and project management consultant AtkinsRéalis to create the new, high-quality learning environments.

Designed by K2 Architects, the internal refurbishment includes the creation of new classrooms and ancillary spaces from existing spaces, installation of energy-efficient electrical and mechanical systems, acoustic treatments added to every classroom for noise reduction, new toilet facilities and improvements to the auditorium, control room and learning areas.

Upgrades were made to every classroom, including the creation of new training spaces for vocational teaching of beauty and construction.

Project partners and the school community gathered to celebrate the project’s completion in the refurbished auditorium, now called The Runway, a name chosen by pupils as a place where ‘creativity takes flight’.

Pupils occupied the building from September 2023 after the completion of the initial phase of works, with subsequent refurbishments progressing in the live school environment. Working hours were tailored and programme updates clearly communicated while noise levels were carefully monitored to minimise potential impact to pupils.

Cllr Joanne Kennedy, Cabinet member for Employment, Educational Attainment and Skills, Liverpool City Council, said: “Back in 2023, we proposed and consulted with residents on plans to invest significantly in high quality school places for children and young people with SEND across our council area. 

“Since then, we’ve completed expansion work at Millstead Primary, Palmerston College, and now Bank View High School and agreed to build a new £40m purpose-built primary school for children with SEND at Princes Drive in West Derby.

“We are committed to delivering real change for young people with special educational needs and disabilities in Liverpool and seeing the young people already thriving in their facilities makes me incredibly proud.” 

Paul Coyle, Regional Managing Director, Robertson Construction North West, said: “Through strong collaboration with the Council, we have repurposed and transformed an unused building into a high-quality, inclusive learning environment that has been carefully tailored to the specialist needs of its users. Delivering this project in a live school environment demonstrates the expertise and care shown by the entire team, and the importance of making the facilities ready for use promptly.

“Being at the opening and seeing how much the pupils are enjoying their new school shows the true significance of this project and the positive impact of our work with the Council.”

Andrew Wrigg, Head of School at Bank View School, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the transformation of our school. These new facilities provide our pupils with the space and resources they need to thrive academically, personally, socially, and creatively.

“The addition of new SEND places means more young people with special educational needs can access the support they deserve in an adapted and inclusive environment. Seeing our students already making the most of these improvements is incredibly rewarding, and we are grateful to Liverpool City Council, Robertson Construction North West and Atkinsréalis for their commitment to our school community.”

Robertson worked with the Council on a phased procurement approach, separating pre-construction and full works programmes. This enabled early milestones to be achieved, risks to be managed proactively and the project to be delivered efficiently, on time and within the Council’s budget, helping to address the city’s growing need for SEND provision.

The external works of Phase 1 completed in December 2023, with Phase 2 following in 2024 and Phase 2B completing in September 2025. The final phase of the project was funded by Liverpool City Council using almost £3m of High Needs Provisional Capital funding, bringing the total cost of improvements made to the school building to almost £10m since 2023.