Centre Academy East Anglia

Since September 2022, Lisa Gilbert BA PGC PAPAA level 7 NASENCO. Became head after five years as the school’s SENCo. Previously she was director of student support at Holbrook Academy in Ipswich and SENCo in a local primary school, but prior to that…

An independent school for up to 82 children aged 7 to 19 with conditions including attention difficulties, autism, development co-ordination disorder, developmental delay, dyslexia, dyscalculia, attachment disorders and trauma. Nearly all children

Local authority is usually keen for students to transfer to college at 16, and two-thirds do. Centre Academy is a feeder school for West Suffolk College in Bury St Edmunds and Suffolk New and Suffolk One in Ipswich, but Otley College and Cambridge

Tutor groups of fewer than ten pupils are taught by fully qualified teachers and supply teachers are rarely needed as regular staff prefer to cover each other to minimise disruption. The junior class comprises of KS1/2 students while older pupils are

Learning support assistants are not assigned to particular children, but instead help with shoring up knowledge and skills; ‘it’s a way to develop children’s independence. Small groups mean lessons are suitable for every individual, facilitated if

‘It’s lovely to see former school refusers throwing themselves in,’ beams head, and there is plenty going on to tempt even the most initially unwilling participant. The arts are popular as pursuits as well as GCSE subjects. Music has its own room in

Team games (rounders, football, cricket) and individual activities (athletics, swimming in the local pool) make up a varied sports programme, led by a specialist teacher. Younger pupils say they love the horse-riding - some progress from fear to

‘The aim is for the children to learn to take ownership and develop an understanding of themselves and manage their emotions - once mastered, they have it for life,’ head sums up sagely. Therapy is tailored for each child and woven into the school

‘Children can’t function well unless their needs are met,’ says head and this is central here. The staff deal with every pastoral detail - from a child upset at leaving a jumper at home, to one having a difficult day for family reasons – each scrap

Pupils travel from across Suffolk and over the Norfolk and Essex borders, some for up to 90 minutes each way; local authority is good at providing taxis. Boys significantly outnumber girls - 70:30, but less of a margin than in the past. The full

Virtually all pupils are local authority funded; self-funding rare. School can help with the cost of trips to make sure no-one misses out.

A small, safe haven of a school, embraced by woodland in a peaceful rural setting away from the relentless hum of modern life. Pupils unhurriedly learn while developing self-understanding, with all the support they need on hand to achieve and enjoy