Former Robert Bruce headteacher speaks of his pride as new special school in Kempston is built

A former headteacher has spoken of his pride at seeing work progress at the new special school being built in Kempston.

The school – which will be one of the largest special educational needs (SEN) facilities in the country – will be on the the site of the old Robert Bruce Middle School.

And Frank McMahon – who was headteacher at Robert Bruce for 15 years before retiring in 2005 – saw for himself how things were going.

He said: “It’s a real mix of emotions being here today. There’s a sadness that the old school, all of the resources, and the quality of education that we gave is no longer there.

"I constantly see former pupils and get told how much they enjoyed their time at Robert Bruce. There’s a really strong bond between pupils and staff, across the generations.

“But on the other hand, I can see this new school is like a phoenix from the ashes, which is going to be a fantastic facility.”

The new school – due to open in phases from September 2024 – will cater for 200 students pupils aged two to 19 with special educational needs, including children with physical disabilities, those on the autistic spectrum, and those with severe learning disabilities.

Mr McMahon added: “I’ve always had a soft spot for SEN. A mark of how a school should be run is how much they support the children who most need support. That’s something that is really being embraced with creating this new school.

“The memories of Robert Bruce, and all the good times, won’t disappear. But new memories will be created here.”

Robert Bruce Middle School originally opened as Kempston Senior Council School in 1928. Over its nearly 100 years it was also known as Kempston County Secondary Modern School and Robert Bruce County Secondary Modern School. It moved to its final site, off Hillgrounds Road, in the early 1960s.