Acorn Park School
An independent school providing specialist education for autistic young people.
Acorn Park is an independent special school for children aged 5-19 located in Banham, Norfolk. The school offers 100 daytime school places and has eight registered Children's Homes on site for young people requiring term-time only or permanent, long-term residential Care.
The children who attend Acorn Park have a variety of needs that are typical of individuals with autism, as well as additional needs, such as ADHD, epilepsy and Tourette’s, for example. Our integrated clinical team support our staff to understand and meet the needs of all our pupils, including all additional diagnosis and needs.
We enjoy a 30-acre estate and offer a Care Farm, Forrest School, Sports Hall, and Horticulture facilities. We have recently opened a £500,000 SEN-specific playground scheme to support our pupil's learning, regulation and sensory needs. We have a dedicated Occupational therapy room, and our clinicians are trained in Sensory integration. Other specialist resources, such as our immersion rooms and QT Robot (an Artificial Intelligence driven communication resource), are continuously developed and improved.
Therapeutic Support
We integrate the support offered by our therapy team into children’s classrooms, their homes and their communities to enable their communication and learning across every setting.
Communication is fundamental to learning both in and out of the classroom and we place a high priority on developing the young people’ communication skills.
The Speech and Language therapists work alongside teaching and care staff, selecting activities that engage, motivate and focus the young person’s attention; a necessary skill for learning. They work in partnership with the teacher to develop programmes that are embedded in everything the young person does and to monitor progress, refining the programmes as the young person advances.
Occupational therapy supports young people by helping them to develop the skills they need to function in their everyday life activities e.g. self-care, schoolwork, play, social interaction and independence. Our Occupational Therapists assess each young person’s ability to carry out age-appropriate life tasks and identify challenges in their motor and sensory abilities that get in the way of their ability to function within these tasks.
Parents and carers also have access to support and advice from our occupational therapists and speech and language therapists who can help parents to understand the programmes that have been developed for their children so that they can be continued at home.
Children who have not been successful in a mainstream setting or other specialist settings find the high staff-to-pupil ratios, autism-friendly approach to learning and autism-friendly environment a refreshing change that often lends itself to lower levels of anxiety and high levels of engagement. All children who attend Acorn Park have a statement of educational needs and a diagnosis of ASD. These needs are reviewed annually through the Annual Review of the Statement.
As one of the largest independent special schools that specialise in Autism, we have a strong and developing reputation for excellence. We welcome parental enquiries and would be pleased to welcome you for a tour of our site.
Who to contact
- Name
- Peter Marshall
- Position
- Head of Service
- Telephone
-
01953 888 656
- admin@acornpark.org.uk
- Website
-
http://acornpark.org.uk/
- Social Media
- Follow us on Twitter
- Address
-
Acorn Park School
Andrew's Furlong, Mill Road
Banham
Norwich
Norfolk - Postcode
- NR16 2HU
- Notes
Ages 4 - 19 years.
Additional contact
- Name
- James
- Position
- Admissions Manager
- Telephone
- 07866 549513
- James.Taylor-Lawrence@ofgl.uk
- Additional Website
-
Options Autism
Where to go
- Address
-
Andrews Furlong
Mill Road
Banham
Norwich
Norfolk - Postcode
- NR16 2HU
- View NR16 2HU on a map
- Area served
- Mid Suffolk, All Suffolk
- Parking available
- Yes
- Parking details
- Please follow the signs, visitor parking is reserved by reception.
- Notes
The majority of the classrooms are wheelchair accessible. There are rooms in 2 buildings that can only be accessed via a flight of stairs and is not wheelchair accessible. The top floors of our residential provision can only be accessed via a flight of stairs and is not wheelchair accessible. Disabled visitors would be able to access the admin building through the main entrance. We have disabled toilets and disabled parking available.
Days & Times
- 52 weeks a year
- Time of day
-
Morning
Afternoon
Evening - Session Information
-
Day
38 and 52 week placements available
Other details
- Cost Details
- Fees are paid direct to the school by the Local Authority
- Referral required?
- Yes
- Referral and availability notes
All referrals to Acorn Park need to be made via the Local Authority. Parents are however welcome to look round the school prior to a referral being made.
For support with admissions, please contact our Admissions Manager, James.
James Taylor-Lawrence
Admission Manager
07866 549513
Email: James.Taylor-Lawrence@ofgl.uk
Outcomes First Group |Atria| Spa Road Bolton | BL1 4AG
Web: www.outcomesfirstgroup.co.uk/
My working days are Monday to Thursday. I always aim to respond to emails quickly, but feel free to email Nicola.pillay@ofgl.uk if your enquiry is urgent on my day off.
- Age Groups
- Children (5-11), Young people
- Accessibility
- Disabled Parking, Adapted Toilet
- Accreditation details
all courses undertaken are accredited by the relevant awarding body.
- Service users involved in planning
-
Yes
Acorn Park makes every effort to involve young people in their care and education. The student voice is given a high priority and there are many opportunities, both formal and informal, for young people to make choices and decisions about aspects of their lives. - School Type
- Special
- DfE Number
- 926/6152
Support for people with disabilities
- Experience of including people with special educational needs and disabilities
For details of how we meet the Governments Local Offer, please visit our website www.acornparkschool.co.uk
- Contact
- Peter Marshall
- Telephone
- 01953 888 656
- admin@acornpark.org.uk
- Conditions Supported
-
Autistic spectrum conditions
Communication difficulties
Health conditions
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