For years, in a school that was cramped and no longer fit for purpose, they fought for a new home.
And after a setback-laden journey, spanning almost 30 years, children in Norfolk with complex needs are finally enjoying life in a brand new, £14m, school.
Pupils at Chapel Green School, the former Chapel Road in Attleborough, moved into their new Old Buckenham site on Monday.
The two-storey school will be able to take 110 pupils, 50 more than before, and enjoy facilities including 18 classrooms and several specially-designed learning rooms, such as a sensory and hydrotherapy pool room.
MORE: Onwards and upwards - Norfolk school celebrates good report ahead of relocation
Headteacher Karin Heap, who has been in the role for 17 years, said she was still getting used to the change - but that the school community was thrilled.
'After such a long journey I still can't quite believe that we are finally able to enjoy this wonderful building which our pupils so need and deserve,' she said. 'I am very grateful to everyone who has supported our school over so many years and helped this cause.'
The relocation had a handful of false starts over the years, with funding agreed under a government scheme which was later scrapped. But it was in 2013 that the wheels finally started turning, and in 2016 that building work finally began.
MORE: Chapel Road School in Attleborough eyes up new site
Mrs Heap thanked all those involved - including Norfolk County Council, design and planning teams and builders Morgan Sindall.
Special praise went to Terry Hickman Smith - the school's chair of governors and a driving force behind the move.
'I would like to give special credit to Terry, for his continued support, resilience, knowledge and skills as architect to assist me with this project from beginning to end,' Mrs Heap said. 'He has been pursuing the new school for over 25 years.'
Stuart Dark, chairman of the council's children's services committee, said he was 'thrilled' the school had a 'vibrant, modern learning and teaching space'.
MORE: Plans move a step closer for new site for Chapel Road School
'I'm also proud that our scheme has created 50 extra spaces which means that dozens of extra families in Norfolk won't have to travel so far for their children to benefit from first rate complex needs educational facilities,' he said. 'That's better for families and better for the children – not least for their social interaction because their friendship groups will live closer to each other.'
A hard-fought campaign
While the campaign for a new school has been ongoing for 30 years, it gathered pace over the last decade.
• 2010 - The school is due to get a new build under the Building Schools for the Future programme, but when the coalition government comes in, the programme is scrapped.
• 2011 - Talk turns to finding the scheme a new site, with then headteacher Melvyn Roffe backing the suggestion of it being built on land near Wymondham College.
• 2012 - Talks slow and several alternative sites are explored.
• 2013 - In July, the Department for Education agrees to contribute almost £4m to a new school build in Old Buckenham. The county council pledges the rest of the funds, and public exhibitions are held over the plans.
• 2016 - Work starts on the new build.
• 2017 - Building work nears completion.
• 2018 - The school finally opens in its new home at the start of January.
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