New special school in Slough opens for children with autism amid growing demand
A new special school opened in Slough this week for children with autism, complex communication and sensory needs – amid growing demand.
Upton Grange is open to referrals for children aged three to seven from local authorities in Slough, Windsor and Maidenhead, Bracknell Forest, Wokingham, Reading, Buckinghamshire, Surrey, Hillingdon and Hounslow.
Classes are small, with only six to ten children each. Classes all have a teacher and two teaching assistants to ensure that all students are looked after individually.
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BerkshireLive spoke with Executive Director Ciaran Walsh following the successful opening of the school on Monday, June 21.
He said: “There is a shortage of schools in the country, especially for people with autism, so it is very important for us to have the school available for those who need it.
“We offer many types of therapy in our school as part of a total communication approach, such as drama and music therapy, and we also have clinical psychologists on site.
“All children have access to a forestry school, which can also be of great benefit to children with autism. “
According to BeyondAutism, more than one in 100 people in the UK have autism and 143,500 schoolchildren are registered as having autism.
Abigail Davis, Education Manager, said: “For a child with autism, entering a new environment can be a difficult experience, can impact their behavior and trigger dysregulation.
“We provide our children with appropriate autism education and support at key developmental stages that equip them with essential social skills and prepare them for life beyond school and in society.”
