Ages 
This impressive new school, with its Ofsted outstanding, is turning lives around. Pupils arrive broken and anxious, but with kindness, care, excellent teaching and therapies, are rebuilt to be a more robust individual who have been taught excellent life skills and coping mechanisms and are able to live their lives as independently as their abilities allow. Staff are kind, enthusiastic, knowledgeable and effective. Mention must go the head and proprietor; his leadership skills, foresight and understanding of the condition has set a phenomenon and local authorities around the country are sitting up and taking notice.
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Overview & data
- Pupil numbers
- 32 ·
- Religion
- None
- Local authority
- Leicestershire County Council
- SEN provision
- · ASD
Headteacher
Head
Mr J Lakin
Since 2011 (and the school's inception), Jonny Lakin. Sports science degree from Loughborough. Started out as a footballer playing professionally for Leicester City Academy before injury put paid to his career. Went to university instead, and
Entrance
All children have an EHCP and are admitted via the local authority. All have come from mainstream education. Many girls arrive aged between 12 and 14, the boys slightly younger. ‘The younger we get them, the easier it is for us turn them around and
Exit
The remit of the school is to stabilise, rebuild and move the pupil on when they are ready and this is proving successful. ‘They know, and the parents know, when they are ready.’ If the pupil arrives young enough they are usually at Woodside for
Latest results
We do not publish results data for special schools. Find out more.
Teaching & learning
All children have EHCPs, and are diagnosed with high functioning ASD and many have mental health issues, mainly anxiety, as well. All pupils are able to follow the national curriculum.
Each child has a bespoke timetable, with an emphasis on life
Learning support & SEN
Arts & extracurricular
Keyboard in common room popular, pupils encouraged to play instruments. After-school sessions held occasionally, pupils decide what they would like. Art, sports and Crystal Maze have been recent offerings. Whole school get together for theme days
Sport
Healthy living and being active a big part of the school’s mantra. Table tennis table out in the sunshine being well used. Local leisure centre hired weekly for sport, this is when school come together. Secondary school has some teams. Strong links
Ethos & heritage
Initially set up in a wooden cabin on a farm in Mountsorrel for one secondary pupil, the school quickly outgrew the cabin. A house on the farm was purchased and in September 2014 primary provision was opened. Secondary school has now moved to Ash
Therapy & staffing
All teaching staff autism trained. Animals play a big part in therapy sessions. Equine therapy for everyone, the horses are just a few steps from the main entrance to Ash House. ‘I was astonished how effective the equine therapy is, they even got my
Pastoral care, inclusivity & discipline
Head knows some parents arrive ‘shattered with a newly diagnosed child,’ and need support as well. And they get it with parent groups and lunches. ‘They listen and understand my child, and me, and are incredibly supportive of both of us.’ Parents
Pupils & parents
Every child is diagnosed with high functioning autism, many have mental health issues as well including attachment disorders. All are verbal. 80 per cent have spent at least two terms out of school before joining Woodside. All live within a 40 minute
The last word
This impressive new school, with its Ofsted outstanding, is turning lives around. Pupils arrive broken and anxious, but with kindness, care, excellent teaching and therapies, are rebuilt to be a more robust individual who have been taught excellent
