West Kirby School and College

Since 2020, Sian Thomas CEO and principal.

All children are assessed by the school before a place is offered. Parents can look around before applying for a place. If boarding is being offered the school will usually make a home visit. A new pupil, whatever their age, will have an eight week

A majority stay until they are 19. A small number leave at 16 to mainstream FE; extremely rarely a pupil may leave before 16, to return to mainstream. Transition to FE colleges at 19 is managed well and successfully with strong liaison between the

All children have an EHCP - school caters for ASD and a range of complex social communication difficulties and associated learning and sensory needs. Also PDA, attachment disorder, ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia. Many of the children have been out of

Music offered up to GCSE and popular. Also used as therapy. All pupils completed the annual nine mile sponsored walk. DofE offered up to gold. ‘I am amazed at how my son threw themselves into DofE, working as a team, completing bronze and now working

A massive area for sports. So large that the new 16+ vocational centre is going to be housed on half of it. A sporty lot, backed up by the trophies in the cabinet. Current Merseyside cricket champions and finalists in UK Northern Area Bocca

Boarding offered Monday to Friday during term time; 52 week provision can be provided as a bespoke package. Thirteen children board, others come for respite one or two nights a week. A third house in the town recently purchased to house residents.

Teachers are long serving, 40 per cent here for 10 years or more. Agency staff avoided where possible or long term only, hand picked and have to be SEN trained. All staff, non-teaching too, are autism trained. PRICE (protecting rights in a caring

Pastoral care is excellent and the wellbeing and safety of each pupil paramount. ‘The staff are excellent and very caring,’ said one parent. ‘My daughter was extremely anxious when she first started but they helped her settle in quickly and feel

Pupils come from a wide area within the north west, from as far north as Cumbria and south to Shropshire. Most travel daily in supervised taxis. Some board, many for respite care. Parents are involved. They have often had to fight hard to get

A calm, safe sanctuary for those that need it. They are getting the best out of their students and improving lives and confidence levels to such an extent that many go on to success once they leave – some pupils even making such progress that they