Work starts on new Crowborough Academy

Main contractor Willmott Dixon has started work on Acre Wood Academy, a £15.6 million project for East Sussex County Council.

Bringing together primary and secondary school provisions, the purpose-built academy in Crowborough will also provide 60 specialist places for children aged 11 to 16 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The project, procured via the Procurement Hub 2 Framework, is scheduled for completion in Winter 2026. The two-storey, steel framed building will deliver state-of-the-art learning facilities, addressing the increasing demand for SEND places across the county.

The school is located adjacent to an existing primary SEND school, which will remain fully operational throughout construction. Together, the two schools will create a co-located primary and secondary facility in a calm, well-connected environment close to Crowborough town centre.

Richard Poulter, Managing Director of Willmott Dixon in the South, said: “We are delivering a project that will have a meaningful and lasting impact on the community.

“Acre Wood Academy has been carefully designed to meet the complex and varied needs of its future pupils, while responding sensitively to the site’s constraints and opportunities.

“As a team, we have extensive experience in the SEND sector, creating high-quality, inclusive environments where pupils can thrive. We are partnering with East Sussex County Council to ensure the school will support families for years to come.”