Swalcliffe Park School CIO

Swalcliffe Park School is a non-maintained charitable trust providing specialist residential education and care for up to 57 secondary age boys (11-19 yrs). All students have a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) - mainly Asperger’s Syndrome, with many having additional needs arising from other diagnoses including ADHD, Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and language impairment.

Placements are funded by Local Authorities from across the UK for a 38-week school year and on a two weekly boarding basis.

The school offers a wide range of learning opportunities both within the school day as well as in the evenings and at weekends. These are designed to promote Communication, Independence, Self-Management and Achievement.

Communication:
Weekly social communication groups are designed to improve our students’ perspective taking skills. Through school day and residential activities students learn about the importance of communicating for different purposes.  Students are encouraged to:
• Share and convey their ideas and feelings
• Use communication for different purposes
• Respect and appreciate the ideas and feelings of others
• Develop positive meaningful relationships

Independence:
The Independence curriculum offers a variety of activities and opportunities designed to develop essential life skills in a range of settings.  Students are supported to:
• Care for themselves
• Manage their lives safely
• Take an active role in their local communities
• Learn how to problem solve and manage  personal affairs

Self-Management:
We give special emphasis to Self-Management strategies to reflect the complexity of our students’ needs.  Students are supported to:
• Recognise their own emotions and physical reactions to different situations
• Manage these reactions positively and behave in an expected way
• Use strategies to manage their anxieties
• Look after their own physical and emotional well- being.

Achievement:
We offer an extensive range of curricular activities throughout the school day, into the evenings and at weekends. By following personalised learning pathways students plan and prepare for their futures beyond school.  Students are supported to:
• Embrace the learning opportunities we create for them
• Choose a pathway that builds upon their strengths, interests and ambitions
• Achieve a wide range of academic and vocational qualifications
• Develop their skills and talents

In order to facilitate best outcomes for the students, the school has well-qualified and trained Teachers, Learning Support Assistants and Residential Care Staff who work collaboratively with specialist therapists and professionals from a variety of disciplines including Speech and Language Therapy, Educational Psychology, Nursing, Psychiatry, Occupational Therapy, Counselling and Massage Therapy.