Special Schools - A selection
Members of our National Executive include Head Teachers, Principals and Chief Executives of a number of Special Schools and Trusts around the country and these are listed here. Others will be added to this list over time. Scroll on down to find the relevant school you are looking for.
If you're looking for a particular school and it isn't shown here, then let us know.
| Alfriston School | Charlton School | Little Heath School | |
| Ash Field School | Columbus School | St Vincent's School | |
| Bradfields School | East Hartford School | Treloar School | |
| West Gate School | Dawn House School |
Alfriston is a day and weekly boarding special school for girls with moderate learning difficulties in the age range 11-18 years. The school is maintained by Buckinghamshire County Council and is situated on the outskirts of Beaconsfield.
Head Teacher:
Mrs Jinna Male
Address:
Alfriston School
Penn Road
Knotty Green
Beaconsfield
Buckinghamshire
HP9 2TS
T: 01494 673740
E: office@alfriston.bucks.sch.uk
W: www.alfriston.bucks.sch.uk
Ash Field is a day and weekly boarding special school for 110 learners of all abilities from five Local Authorities whose main presenting difficulties are physical. However, their needs are a complex mix of the medical, sensory, communication, intellectual, emotional and social. There is a growing shift in the school population towards increasing complexity and lower and slower attainment. A significant number of pupils have progressive conditions. The school also has a Micro Technology and Assessment Centre which supports more than 600 pupils in mainstream settings in the city, county and Rutland. We also provide professional development for significant numbers of professionals from across the region. The school has a multi-disciplinary team of approximately 100; the health members of which are managed by the NHS.
Principal:
Mr David Bateson
Address:
Ash Field
Broad Avenue
Leicester
Leicestershire
LE5 4PY
T: 0116 2737151
E: office@ashfield.leicester.sch.uk
W: www.ashfield.leicester.sch.uk
Bradfields School is an innovative and forward-looking Medway LA school which provides education for pupils who primarily experience global moderate learning difficulties but who may also experience speech, language, emotional, behavioural, sensory, physical or autistic spectrum secondary disabilities.
"Bradfields School is aspirational and ambitious for all its students. They all have the chance, as appropriate, to access and be successful in accredited courses, including ASDAN awards, Entry Level and GCSEs.
"My congratulations to the students and all those who work with them."
Rose Collinson - Director of Education and Leisure at Medway Council
Head Teacher:
Mr Kim Johnson
Address:
Bradfields School
Churchill Avenue
CHATHAM
Kent ME5 0LB
T: 01634 683990
E: office@bradfields.medway.sch.uk
W: www.bradfields.medway.sch.uk
Charlton School opened in September 2001. It is a Group 7 Community Special (ages 11–19) School, maintained by the London Borough of Greenwich, for students with low incidence special educational needs.
The school was established within a borough wide re-organisation of special school provision. Governors have set the school admission at 135 places.
All students at Charlton School have a Statement of Special Educational Needs appropriate for placement in the school. The London Borough of Greenwich places students with a range of low incidence special needs.
School Ethos
Charlton School’s ethos is based upon a student-centred philosophy – all individuals are valued members of a school community which seeks to provide for cultural, social, spiritual, creative and athletic needs, and intellectual development.
Mission Statement
“To make a positive difference in our community”.
Vision Statement
We want to create an outstanding community school.
We want to create a learning community with a highly skilled, flexible workforce well able to meet the needs (and future needs) of the low incidence special needs secondary students population, otherwise difficult to educate elsewhere.
We will work with special and challenging students creating personalised learning opportunities and a relevant curriculum.
We will provide valuable community learning resources and training available for the wider and international community.
We will create a positive ethos, develop innovative practice, co-create with others and share our learning.
We have high expectations of performance and resilience but balanced by high levels of support for each individual’s well being.
Head Teacher:
Mr Mark Dale-Emberton
Address:
Charlton School
Charlton Park Road
London
SE7 8HX
T: 020 8319 9350
E: mailbox@charlton.greenwich.sch.uk
W: www.charltonschool.com
- Columbus School and College has been established after an interesting journey dating back to 2000. CSC was formerly two separate special needs schools in Chelmsford –Woodlands School in Patching Hall Lane and The Hayward School in Maltese Road.
Woodlands School catered for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties and complex learning difficulties aged 3 – 19 years and Hayward School catered for children with moderate learning difficulties and autism aged 4 – 16.
The two schools federated in 2005 to form Chelmsford New Model Special School with a single governing body. There were two campuses – Woodlands Campus and Hayward Campus.
On 1st September, 2009 the two schools formally amalgamated to form Columbus School and College. The School Campus in Patching Hall Lane currently has children aged from Nursery to Year 10 and the College Campus in Maltese Road currently has students from Year 7 to Year 11. There is an FE Department on College Campus which has students from Year 12 to Year 14.
May 2010 - Columbus is outstanding!
It’s what every school aspires to achieve; an independent inspection outcome of outstanding. After two days and rigorous interviews, teaching observations and scrutiny of our practise, the inspectors awarded us the highest grade possible.
All other information about Columbus can be found in different areas of our website.
Chief Executive:
Mr Malcolm Reeve
Address:
The Columbus School and College
School Campus
Patching Hall Lane
Chelmsford
Essex, CM1 4BX
Telephone: 01245-355854
Fax: 01245-491749
email: admin@columbus.essex.sch.uk
The Columbus School and College
College Campus
Maltese Road
Chelmsford
Essex, CM1 2PA
Telephone: 01245-258667
Fax: 01245-347126
email: admin@columbus.essex.sch.uk
Web: www.columbus.essex.sch.uk
Our Mission Statement:
"In East Hartford School our purpose is to meet the individual needs of each pupil through a quality, stimulating curriculum in a caring, secure environment where we all work together and everyone is valued"
Welcome to East Hartford School. Whether you are a parent, a pupil, or a friend of our School, we hope you will find our online brochure interesting and informative, and that it will encourage you to visit us. If you find there are questions that have not been answered, please do not hesitate to contact the school. If you have any concerns, please remember that the staff are understanding, sympathetic, and very willing to help in any situation.
Our prospectus provides information concerning the school as required by the 1993 Education Act, for parents of pupils who are expected to enter the school, and also for parents who wish to know about the opportunities available at the school.
Our Aims:
- To create a happy, welcoming, stimulating environment which will provide the children with the opportunity and motivation to develop their full potential, socially, physically, emotionally and intellectually
- To encourage the children to develop their independence and positive attitudes to learning
- To develop an atmosphere where all pupils feel valued themselves and treat all others with respect
- To encourage children to take responsibility for their behaviour
It is hoped that the children will leave the school at Year 6 level, well equipped to continue the development of these skills at their next level of education.
Head Teacher:
Mr Hugh Steele
Address:
East Hartford School
Scott Street
East Hartford
Cramlington
Northumberland
NE23 3AR
T: 01670 713881
E: Admin@easthartford.northumberland.sch.uk
W: www.easthartfordschool.org.uk
Little Heath School caters for children with statements of general learning, language and communication difficulties and special educational needs (SEN) between the ages of 11 and 16. Some pupils who would benefit from staying at school longer do so until they are 18
Little Heath School is situated to the east of London, near Romford in the county of Essex in the United Kingdom. With large numbers of plane and willow trees and views over open fields to the rear, the school provides an attractive rural environment for pupils with special educational needs from the surrounding urban areas.
Curriculum Structure
- The full range of National Curriculum subjects, including Religious Education.
- Additional needs are met by Personal and Social Education (PSE) and Social Use of Language (SULP) programmes
- A leavers programme assists pupils to move from school to further education, training or employment
- Pupil needs and strengths are identified through statements of special need which are reviewed annually
- Recording and reporting procedures centre around the Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs
- Educational qualifications appropriate to pupil achievement and meaningful to the world beyond school include the ASDAN Youth Award, a summative Record of Achievement, GCSEs in Art, ICT, Science and Maths, graduated assessment awards in Maths and Entry Level Certificates in other subjects.
- The school is increasing the range of national qualifications available to pupils.
Head Teacher:
Mr Peter Johnson
Address:
Little Heath School
Hainault Road
Little Heath
Romford
Essex
RM6 5RX
T: 020 8599 4864
E: school@lheath.net
W: www.lheath.net
Welcome to the St Vincent's School.
St Vincent’s is an ‘outstanding’ school. ‘Achievement is exemplary.’ The curriculum is ‘exemplary and provides pupils with an exceptionally broad range of learning experiences and opportunities.’ Pupil’s personal development is ‘outstanding.’ (Joint OfSTED Education and Care Inspection December 2008.)
After significant consultation with pupils, parents, staff, governors, trustees and the DCSF, during the course of this academic year, in September we will be changing our name to;
St Vincent ’s School- ‘A Specialist School for Sensory Impairment and Other Needs’
This change of name reflects more accurately our specialist school status and the wider range of need, other than a vision impairment, that the school 
successfully caters for. This was recognised by Ofsted when they inspected the school in December 2008, when they judged us to be an ‘outstanding’.
The service we offer will continue to be first class and wide ranging; this change of title reveals how good we are at what we do across a range of sensory and other needs.
Mission Statement
"Inspired by the example of St Vincent, we work together in a safe and caring atmosphere, where a high standard of education and care is provided.
We encourage a sense of achievement, self worth, moral responsibility and mutual respect, honouring all faith traditions and beliefs. Each one of us in our community is special and unique. Gifts and talents are valued and nurtured through all our work.
We are outward looking in our approach to the wider educational and social community and we encourage all our young people to become independent and to integrate fully into society.”
Principal:
Mr Stephen Roberts
Address:
St Vincent's School
Yew Tree Lane
West Derby
Liverpool
L12 9HN
T: 0151 228 9968
E: office@stvin.com
W: www.stvin.com
Helping disabled young people take control of their lives.
The Treloar Trust provides education, care, therapy, medical support and independence training to young people with physical disabilities from all over the UK and overseas. Our aim is to prepare these young people for adult life, giving them the confidence and skills to achieve their full potential.
Our long-term goal is to create a world where physically disabled young people learn to take control of their lives and dare to dream.
Founded in 1907 Treloar’s is a registered charity with a turnover of some £19 million. Most of our income comes from fees, which vary according to the level of support and specialist equipment needed by an individual student. But we also need to fundraise for a further £2 million a year to keep Treloar's at the forefront of education and services for physically disabled people.
Treloar School
A non-maintained specialist special school in physical and sensory for disabled children aged from 9 to 16+ where we challenge our young people and nurture their abilities to help them become as independent as possible.
Treloar College
A Beacon status specialist college for disabled students aged 16 and over that prepares our residential and day students for the many challenges of adult life by concentrating on the whole person.
Head Teacher:
Mr Harry Dicks
Address:
Treloar Trust
Upper Froyle
Alton
Hampshire
GU34 4JX
T: 01420 526526
E: info@treloar.org.uk
W: www.treloar.org.uk
Welcome to West Gate School.
West Gate is a special school for pupils aged from 4-19 years who have a very wide range of learning difficulties and disabilities. We also have the Local Authority’s only DCSF approved specialist autism provision for both primary and secondary aged pupils. West Gate is one of only 12 schools in the country to have ‘trailblazer’ Specialist SEN Status. We are a Specialist School for Cognition and Learning.
The school opened in 2006 following the merger of two former special schools, Emily Fortey and Piper Way, and is situated on a split site on Glenfield Road in West Leicester. Primary aged pupils are educated in the Lower School building and secondary aged and Post 16 students are in the Upper School site.
The school is a vibrant, friendly and welcoming community with a strong positive ethos. We have a skilled and dedicated staff team who are deeply committed to providing the best possible education and care for all our pupils.
Head Teacher:
Ann Standley
Address:
West Gate School
Glenfield Road
Leicester
LE3 6DG
T: 0116 285 6181
W: www.westgate.leicester.sch.uk
Welcome to Dawn House School.
I CAN's Dawn House School provides intensive and specialist support for children and young people aged 5 -19 years who have severe speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) which prevent them from realising their full potential intellectually, academically and socially. Pupils receive the integrated therapy and education that they need, ensuring they receive full access to the national curriculum (pre 16) and an enriched curriculum that supports the transition to adulthood (post 16).
Places at Dawn House School are largely funded via Local Authorities, but payment by families will be considered.
Principal:
Anne Jordan
Address:
Dawn House School
Helmsley Road
Rainworth
Notts
NG21 0DQ
T: 01623 795361
W: www.ican.org.uk/schools pages/dawn house school.aspx