09/07/2026
What an unforgettable day! 🎉
We were absolutely delighted to welcome Alex Brooker to Pinewood School yesterday to officially open our fantastic new school building.
Alex was incredibly generous with his time, chatting with our pupils, answering their questions, signing autographs and sharing plenty of laughs along the way. His warmth, humour and genuine interest in our students made a huge impression, and by the end of the afternoon many of them simply didn't want him to leave!
During his visit, Alex was chaperoned by Year 10 student George from Brooker Class—a particularly fitting guide, as the class is named in Alex's honour. Like all classes at Pinewood School, Brooker Class is named after an inspirational person with a disability, celebrating individuals who have broken down barriers, challenged perceptions and inspired others through their achievements.
His visit made the official opening of our new school even more special. Following a two-year redevelopment project funded by the Department for Education, Pinewood School is now proud to be operating from a purpose-built, fully carbon-neutral school, designed specifically to support more than 200 Hertfordshire children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).
A huge thank you to Alex for helping us celebrate such an important milestone in Pinewood School's journey. We hope you enjoyed your visit as much as we enjoyed having you!
📸 We'll be sharing more photos and highlights from the day over the coming days, so keep an eye on our page.
