Michael Green
SEMH School
An artist's impression of the new school
Plans for a specialist social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) school in Dartmoor have received glowing praise from the community.
The Promise School, due to open its state-of-the-art campus in September 2023, is being developed by Dartmoor Multi-Academy Trust (DMAT).
In line with guidance from the Department for Education (DfE), the trust ran a public consultation on these plans, which came to a close shortly before Christmas.
Respondents noted that ‘the school is desperately needed in our area,’ and that it was ‘good to see that a trust which has expertise in SEND is leading on the development of the school’.
This positive sentiment was also expressed during in-person information events held by the trust, with one attendee noting that “‘here was a clear moral imperative coming through… that was very reassuring about wanting to get this right for the children of Devon’.
The trust also received a wide array of constructive and useful feedback from the process, which will now be explored and put into action by the school’s new Principal Designate, Ms Tracy Ashton. Tracy joins the school with a wealth of experience, having worked in Lipson Cooperative Academy as Senior Deputy Head for Inclusion for over 20 years.
While work on the new site is being completed, a small number of students will be made at home in two of DMAT’s other academies; St James’ Primary and Okehampton Community College.
The students will have a dedicated space on each site during the 2022/23 Academic Year, meaning they are fully welcomed into the DMAT family of schools during their first year with the school.
Ms Ashton said: ‘I am hugely excited to get underway in this role, and to build upon the positive momentum which this project has already generated. Our consultation results highlight the comprehensive plans which the Trust have put in place, and I am looking forward to working closely with everyone in the community to bring this much-needed school to life.’