Owlswick School

Special Education Needs

Owlswick is an Independent Residential School and Home established in 1981. It is recognised and approved by the Department of Education and Skills to provide places for up to eleven boys and girls with emotional and behavioural difficulties and moderate learning difficulties. The school offers a 24-hour, 52-week curriculum and admits young people countrywide, but most come from Greater London and the South. The young people usually have Statements of Special Educational Needs that are related to their severe emotional and behavioural difficulties. Owlswick seeks to provide an effective and supportive school and home, which operates as a large family style unit where young people are encouraged to recognise their difficulties and improve their behaviour. For some children this residential provision is their first experience of a consistently caring, stable and supportive environment. Through clear routines and a high level of personal encouragement in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, the staff aims to provide positive role models being sensitive to many issues that may affect behaviour and progress. We seek to enable young people who have experienced considerable difficulties and disruption in their lives to feel valued, secure and successful and to experience an atmosphere that promotes the development of good behaviour and cordial relationships. A spiritual focus underpins the school ethos, promoting Christian aims of caring, tolerance and understanding.