A £11.5 million expansion of Watermill School in Packmoor is preparing to welcome pupils next week, creating up to 70 additional places for children with special educational needs and disabilities.
The new Watermill Brindley site, on Turnhurst Road, has been built on land formerly occupied by Middlehurst School. Stoke-on-Trent City Council says enrolment will continue over the coming weeks.
For local families, the development adds specialist school capacity within the city. The council said the project was intended to help children access the education and support they need closer to home.
New building on the former Middlehurst site
The two-storey learning facility is an expansion of the existing Watermill School, rather than a replacement for it. The project was funded through the council's Schools Capital Programme.
Middlehurst School closed in 2014 and its building was demolished in 2022. Main contractor Seddon Construction Ltd handed the new building over in August 2026.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony has marked completion of the project. Pupils are expected to begin attending next week, with enrolment taking place over several weeks.
Additional specialist places for local children
Watermill School is part of Orchard Community Trust and became an academy in 2019. The council describes its provision as supporting children aged three to 16 with a range of learning needs, including moderate, severe, physical and multiple learning difficulties and autism.
Head teacher Jen Lomas and chair of trustees Gill Howell said in a joint statement: “The new facility will provide additional specialist school places, helping to meet growing demand across the city and ensuring more children and young people can access high-quality education and support close to home.”
