Which UK specialist schools are best for children with ASD?
Which UK specialist schools are best for children with ASD?
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that manifests in a wide range of challenges in social interaction, communication, repetitive behaviours, and often, unique strengths and differences in thinking and learning. Yet it is crucial to find the right school in order to unlock and build on these very strengths. Here, we provide a breakdown of the best non-mainstream specialist schools for ASD in the UK.
Swalcliffe Park
Location: Banbury, Oxfordshire
Area of SEND expertise: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Age range: 11 – 19
Single sex or co-ed: Boys
Boarding or day: Day and boarding
Number of students: 71
Headteacher: Rob Piner
Fees: Paid for by local authority, Oxfordshire catchment area
Swalcliffe Park School, located in the beautiful Oxfordshire countryside close to Banbury, is a leading provider of secondary education for children with ASD. With class sizes never exceeding six throughout Key Stage 3, GCSE and A-Level, students can be assured that they will receive the attention that they need from a specialist teacher trained in pedagogical techniques specifically designed to scaffold learning for students with ASD. The school encourages its students to think metacognitively and empowers them to articulate their need for support in fulfilling any of the outcomes of their Educational, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Their ‘Quality of Life’ framework is an interdisciplinary, integrative approach which weaves therapeutic support into the tapestry of a student’s daily learning, namely Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Counselling and Massage.
Gretton School
Location: Cambridgeshire, CB3
Area of SEND expertise: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Age range: 5 – 19
Single sex or co-ed: Co-ed
Boarding or day: Day and boarding
Number of students: 131
Headteacher: Beth Elkins
Fees: Local authority funded, private fee-paying students considered individually
https://www.grettonschool.com/
Gretton School, located in Cambridgeshire, is another leading provider of secondary education for children with ASD. It prioritises the formation of clear, consistent routines, something which has been shown by academic research to have signficicant benefits for children with ASD. The school also considers it important to work with its students to fully understand their condition, on the proviso that every individual is different when it comes to their experience of ASD. The Forest School is a unique feature of Gretton School which helps to focus this very individuality. Through facilitating child-led, hands-on activities within the context of local woodland, Gretton helps to build confidence and self-esteem through such activities as fire lighting and den building, all the while allowing the students agency as to their level of participation within group activities.
The Holmewood School
Location: Finchley, N12
Area of SEND expertise: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Age range: 7 – 19
Single sex or co-ed: Co-ed
Boarding or day: Day
No of students: 76
Headteacher: Bridget Young
Fees: £72,120 per annum
The Holmewood School, located in north London, caters to neurodiverse students with a primary ASD diagnosis, with provision for secondary, co-occurring diagnoses such as dyslexia and ADHD. The school has been awarded an Advanced Accredited Award by the National Autistic Society, which has praised the school on a number of fronts including its career program and therapy provision. The school, indeed, is distinguished on the latter front due to the dedicated, on-site therapy centre run by a Multidisciplinary team which offers Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy and Psychodynamic Therapy. To take Occupational Therapy as an example, the school’s therapists help to scaffold and support the students in the following areas:
Fine motor skills
Gross motor skills
Sensory processing
Executive functioning
Visual motor integration
Emotional regulation
Eating and feeding issues
Activities of daily living
Functional life skills
Adaptive seating
Attention and focus
Social participation.
Ripplevale School, Rochester
Location: Rochester, Kent
Area of SEND expertise: Dyslexia, dyspraxia and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Age range: 6 – 25
Single sex or co-ed: Co-educational
Boarding or day: Day
No. of students: 172
Fees: £1,986 to £7,478 per term, dependent on child’s learning needs
https://www.ripplevaleschool.co.uk/welcome-to-rochester
Ripplevale School in Rochester has a history rooted in providing specialised education for students with a range of learning needs. Founded to address the unique challenges faced by students with ASD, the school has developed a reputation for its commitment to inclusivity and tailored support. What distinguishes Trinity from other schools catering to students with ASD is its on-site social enterprises offering, which enables students to gain work experience at the school’s salon and restaurant. These are valuable for students with ASD in that they facilitate integration within a wider community, as well as preparing students for professional life after college.
Riverston School
Location: Lee, London
Area of SEND expertise: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Age range: 1-18
Single sex or co-ed: Co-educational
Boarding or day: Day
No of students: 179
Headteacher: Angela Fairs
Fees: From £3,360 to £23,180 per term, dependent on child’s learning needs
https://riverstonschool.co.uk/
Riverston School is a non-selective independent day school in south London which has great provision for students with a fairly wide array of SEN needs. Prominent among these is ASD. The school prioritises holistic development of its students within the mainstream system, with students being supported to participate and socialise within the broader school community. The school has a strong grounding in SEND theory which is employed to support and enrich the experience of children with ASD there.
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