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9. The school environment
How accessible is the school environment?
The environment is adapted to meet young people's needs: it is highly structured,
calm, tranquil, safe and secure with space and facilities for physical exercise a key
feature. The site has education, residential and specialist facilities to support
learning across the Waking Day and opportunities to learn, exercise, socialise and
relax. Frequent access to local towns and villages enable young people to work
towards community inclusion as far as possible.
Thought has been given in the design of learning and living areas to the special
needs of autistic children and young people. For example, the dining room, which
is spacious and structured to enable young people to be as independent as
possible, has acoustic tiles which reduce noise and high windows to minimise
distraction. In this way, young people are able to focus on eating a healthy diet
and building social skills during mealtimes. The houses are homely, welcoming
and relaxed, but also highly structured to support understanding.
The main teaching areas are wheelchair accessible but some residential areas are
not.
Further specialist facilities to support and extend learning:
• Health & Wellbeing Hub. Contains a medical treatment room to replicate
external healthcare settings, an in-house pharmacy, and two therapy
engagement rooms.
• OPENING IN 2024/25 - a bespoke Performing Arts Centre to be used for
theatre and musical performances, rehearsal spaces, areas for music and
dance therapy, and other performing arts usages, as well as school
assemblies.
• spacious, purpose built dining room that enables students and staff to eat
as family groups in a social setting. Movable screens can subdivide the
space and windows are high to minimise distraction.
Leisure, exercise and recreational facilities include:
• 50 acres of safe parkland including a 10-acre wood with sculpture trail and
quiet garden.
• indoor, heated sensory swimming pool.
• all-weather activity track for walking, running, cycling, and scooting.
• swings, trampolines, trim trail and outdoor gym equipment.
• sports hall
• large gym with equipment including treadmills and static bicycles for
indoor exercise.
• art room.
• multi-sensory suite with interactive multisensory and soft playroom.
• library.
• contemporary art and sculpture placed throughout the site, gifted by our
Founding Patron, Dame Stephanie Shirley.