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Referrals : 0800 024 6985 | [email protected]

School Contact Information

Referrals : 0800 024 6985 | [email protected]

School Contact Information

Headteacher's Welcome

Headteacher's Welcome

Welcome to our beautiful school, thank you for taking the time to learn more about us and how we help children access an appropriate and meaningful education which cares about their long-term success into adulthood and their quality of life beyond ‘results day’ in Year 11. There is nothing more satisfying than congratulating children on the success of their achievements when they receive their qualifications, no matter what the level. The smiles, the delight, the ownership that the children take from these after their hard work is incomparable, BUT, the frank reality is, especially for children with additional needs, they need a whole package of carefully developed skills and qualities to sit alongside their qualifications, to give them the best foundations for success as an adult. That is why at Hawley Woods School we invest equally in both academic progression and the broader holistic development of our children. 

At Hawley Woods we are proud of our exceptional pupils and our dedicated staff team, first and foremost we want children to be enthusiastic about their learning and I feel the key to this is ensuring they have a curriculum that inspires, engages and fills them with beans! We want their curiosity and passion to learn to be our vehicle to equip and teach them the skills and knowledge they need to give them as much success and opportunity in adulthood as possible. We know the academic outcomes will look different for each individual child, even with excellent progress from their starting points, however as a non-negotiable, we want all our children to leave our school understanding what integrity is, so they hold onto their values and respect others within their communities, we want them to be creative so they can adapt and think flexibly and sustainably to come up with solutions and we want them to be as independent as possible, with an awareness of how to stay safe, make decisions and manage risks.  

These core elements are central to our education whilst we prepare them, lead them through their qualifications in KS4 and support their transition and next steps beyond school. 

Hannah Stroud, Headteacher

Our Specialist Environment

Hawley Woods School provides a specialist environment and support primarily for autistic children and those needing a similarly adapted approach with small classes of 6 pupils within our calm, nurturing setting. Our school caters for children from the age of 7 up to 17 years (Key Stages 2, 3 and 4).  

We help children with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) who may be struggling to keep up with the pace of work, may be losing confidence, or struggling with the overwhelming sensory environment of their mainstream school. We also help children who have been out of education for a period of time, to positively re-engage in an education which takes into account any negative experiences they may have had in schools so far. 

As well as core subjects, Hawley Woods offers an enhanced level of creative and physical education because we believe many of our children surpass expectations when met with an appropriate curriculum which supports them to express themselves as well as reflect their interests, passion and energy levels; Whether this is through performing arts, i-media, sports, outdoor education, art, design or cooking;  the ceiling can be lifted for our children both emotionally and academically to improve their long term outcomes.

Alongside this, we value and strive to give all children a discrete curriculum of social and life skills in preparation for adulthood, to build a repertoire of functional skills to empower them within their communities as they grow.

Our school is nurturing and respectful of every child's unique profile and works closely with children and parents to plan their journey through their educational career with us.

What can Hawley Woods School offer?

What can Hawley Woods School offer?

  • A specially designed learning environment created to meet sensory needs.
  • A low arousal and nurturing safe place where children can learn and grow.
  • Small class sizes of upto 6 children.
  • Enhanced levels of creative and physical opportunities within the curriculum
  • Each class is supported by one teacher and a teaching assistant.
  • Classrooms will share common practice and routines across the school, with high levels of visual communication such as visual time tables and now and next boards.
  • All children at Hawley Woods will participate in a careers programme and receive independent careers advice and guidance during KS3 and KS4.
  • In Key Stage 4, all children will be supported to take qualifications, these may include Unit Awards, Entry Levels, Functional Skills or GCSE’s. 

The school offers children opportunities to learn outside the classroom, through forest schools and accessing their local community. The school helps children prepare for life outside school and adulthood. There is a focus on further education, training and careers.  

The school is supported by a clinical team, including an onsite SALT and OT, embedding good practice as standard across the school for all learners. The school also benefits from a visiting EP team. 

Through close partnerships with families, professionals and the wider community, Hawley Woods School will ensure that all children who attend the school meet their full potential and flourish.

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