A former school site in Glossop is being given a new lease of life – as a specialist school. 

The Victorian building on Talbot Street, vacant since 2016, had previously been Social Services Offices for Derbyshire County Council and before that was a primary school.  

Matthew Bonilla and Lee Higham acquired the building, which is now being transformed into a state of the art independent SEMH school offering the best in creative learning.  

Matthew said they were pleased to be able to preserve the building which was part of Glossop’s heritage while giving it a renewed purpose. 

“Myself and my team have done extensive research on the history of this building and are excited to launch Kershaw Wood School in memory and honour of the great Anne Kershaw Wood the founder and developer of this particular building.” 

Work taking place at the site on Talbot Street

Work is progressing at the site and the Glossop Chronicle was invited to meet head teacher Carol Nolan, who is excited to be leading the educational side of the development. 

The new school will be for children with an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP) and its ethos will follow Montessori principles. 

These focus on independence, hands-on learning and a thoughtfully prepared environment that allows the child to grow in all the main developmental areas. 

“This provision will be a specialist SEN therapeutic site for children aged 8 to 16,” explained Carol, who is looking forward to welcomed students to the new facility. 

“We will provide children with individual learning stations and provide at the start of the lesson freedom to access resources they think they need,” said Carol.  

The building on Talbot Street in Glossop

Students at Kershaw Wood School will undertake a range of subjects all designed with the Montessori principles in mind. 

Every student will complete learning in English and Maths supported by a broad curriculum of subjects taught in a unique style through their areas of performing arts, art and design, me and my world, movement and health. 

The team are working with a former Ofsted inspector as they create the new curriculum while recruitment is underway to add to the qualified staff who will work at the school. 

The building is being sympathetically redeveloped to provide provision for both primary and secondary aged pupils. This includes the creation of a music studio and library. 

They intend for the site to become a community asset with the opportunity for it to be used in the evenings and at weekends. 

It is hoped work on the building will be completed in May and then the process will begin to get the school registered with Ofsted.  

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