Mayesbrook SEND Resource Base - The Rectory

Delivered for the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, this £2.3m scheme transformed a disused listed building into a specialist resource base supporting young people with complex needs.

Known internally as “Rectory”, the project combined careful refurbishment with a new gym extension and linking corridor. The result is a calm, purpose-built environment designed to nurture independence, emotional regulation and family connection.

This is not simply a school building, it’s a therapeutic, structured space that supports integrated education, healthcare and social care delivery for young people and their families.

The completed facility now forms part of Mayesbrook Park School’s wider provision across the borough.

The Brief

Create a safe, structured and flexible base for young people who require intensive 1:1 and 2:1 support, alongside specialist input from psychologists, occupational therapists and speech and language professionals.

The building needed to:

• Provide calm, well-considered internal environments

• Support therapeutic and social development

• Accommodate rotating cohorts of young people

• Enable family interaction in a safe, supported setting

• Operate seven days a week

• All within a constrained site with extremely limited parking provision.

The scheme involved two key elements:

Refurbishment

The sensitive restoration and internal reconfiguration of a listed former library building. This included structural alterations, new internal layouts, M&E upgrades and full internal finishes.

New Build Extension

Construction of a new gym facility and linking corridor, integrating seamlessly with the existing structure and enhancing the functionality of the overall provision.

Careful coordination was required throughout to manage site logistics, steel installation, drainage works, including attenuation, and phased roofing and internal fit-out works.

The Result

The completed building now provides:

• Specialist learning and therapy spaces

• Gym and activity facilities

• Breakout and regulation areas

• Staff and professional working areas

• External works and landscaping

More importantly, it provides dignity, structure and opportunity for young people and their families.

The success of this project is not measured in square metres or programme dates. It is measured in the positive impact this environment will have on the lives of those who use it.

A Collaborative Effort

This project required close collaboration between client, consultants and delivery team. From structural works through to final finishes, the focus remained constant. Deliver a safe, compliant and purposeful space that genuinely supports its users.

Rectory may have been its historic name, but today, it stands as a future-focused facility for the Barking & Dagenham community.