Swalcliffe Park School Trust

Since 2019, Rob Piner, previously vice principal for five years. Started out in farm management following his degree in agricultural science with business from Harper Adams, later doing teacher training at Reading. Initially attracted to teaching

All students have a diagnosis of high-level autism; some also have ADHD, Tourette’s, dyspraxia or dyslexia. School won’t take boys with emotional/behavioural difficulties and there are no international students. Boys join from year 6 upwards

Nearly all stay on for sixth form. Many do courses at college in eg art, ICT, animal care, car mechanics or catering. Some straight into jobs or apprenticeships eg HGV, tree surgery, plumbing. York and Oxford universities feature among destinations

Combines the national curriculum with an independence curriculum covering eg staying safe online and in the community, using public transport, cooking, preparation next steps. Classes are tiny, maximum six, determined by learning level, personality

A USP of the school is its ‘Quality of Life’ framework which focuses on the issues that students and their families say are most important to them. The information is gathered via weekly keyworking meetings and termly questionnaires which in turn

Music on curriculum (with music BTec available as a qualification later on) with a specialist music teacher in a well-equipped music room tastefully decorated with posters of eg Pink Floyd, The Beatles. Many boys learn an instrument – ‘it’s not like

‘My mum said there probably wouldn’t be much sport here but she was totally wrong!’ said one student. ‘Masses’ of football and volleyball, including fixtures, the boys told us. Basketball, tennis, athletics, hockey and climbing also on offer, any of

Boarders (a third of the cohort) reside in one of four houses (three in the main house and a satellite house in the grounds). Day boys are also assigned a house and can stay late or overnight. House families are selected not according to

One SENCo (plus assistant), three OTs, three SaLTs and two clinical psychologists (plus two assistants) are on staff and centrally located (all full-time). The team is able to integrate therapies (no limit of the amount) within the pupils’ day either

‘The pastoral care is totally joined up – that’s what makes the school work so well,’ reckoned one parent. Each boy has a keyworker and also sees his class tutor three times a day to prepare for the session ahead. A range of therapists are always

Parents feel united by having fought hard to get their son with autism a place at the school. None is self-financing. Family forums allow for virtual get-togethers on aspects such as safeguarding, quality of life surveys and school improvement –

All boys have an EHCP and are funded by their LA.

A school on a mission to constantly improve what is already a rare find - very high teaching standards and a strong focus on confidence building and preparing for the real world, all based on an evidence-based framework and with a rigorous and