Penhurst School

Young -boy -playing -with -toy -drumWorking with local authorities and families, we provide an outstanding and award-winning learning environment where all children and young people benefit from an individual approach to their learning needs from our experienced and caring teams.

Our well-resourced and purpose-built environment ensures even with the most profound and complex needs achieve positive outcomes.

Penhurst School is a non-maintained residential special school catering for boys and girls who have complex disabilities associated with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD). The school age range is from five to 19 years. Read more about our success stories and achievements.

Key statistics


Age Gender
 		Provision Vacancies
 		Ofsted rating
 		Location
 		Membership and accreditation
 		Special needs provision
5 to 19 years old Mixed A non-
maintained residential special school offering 51/52 week care		 Yes Outstanding Oxfordshire BILD, EQUALS, NAIMS, NASS CP, EPI, HI, IM, PMLD, SLD, SP&LD, VI, WA1

How we help

Education, therapy and care are provided on site and children may attend as boarders or as day pupils. Residential care is provided for a standard 51/52-week placement.

  • Education - We provide an individualised and enriching extended curriculum in a purpose-built, well-equipped environment through sensory education programmes, integrated therapy and year-round care package. The holistic needs of pupils are met by teachers, residential care staff, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists, clinical psychology support, a team of nurses and an extensive team of teaching assistants. These multi-disciplinary professionals work together in partnership with visiting professionals and, of course, parents, over a 24-hour period.
  • Well-equipped facilities - The school and residential houses are purpose built on an open, attractive campus. Penhurst School has recently invested over £2 million in the refurbishment of both care and school facilities. This has included upgrading the hydro pool and developing a new sensory area with Spacekraft lighting.
  • Residential care - All houses within our residential provision have new conservatories, along with air conditioning and modern bedrooms for each student. Additionally, we have installed a small, on-site cinema and two sensory gardens, one with shade sails, sensory lighting and water features.
  • Transitional care - The school also benefits from Redwood House being on its location; a specialist centre for young adults between 19 and 25 years old also run by Action for Children.

Curriculum

The curriculum at Penhurst School takes account of the special educational needs of the children. Response to the very personal needs of the children is at the core of the curriculum, and all teaching revolves around personalised learning tailored to each pupil's individual learning style. We provide an individualised and enriching extended curriculum in a well-equipped environment, including sensory education programmes, integrated therapy and a year-round care package.

Included in the curriculum are therapies and treatments to help minimise the effects of profound disabilities and help pupils make the best possible academic and personal progress.

The subjects at the centre of the curriculum include:

  • sensory and perceptual education
  • management of mobility
  • English and communication
  • Mathematics and cognition
  • Information communication technology (ICT)
  • Science

Care and school facilities

Educational and therapeutic accommodation for children includes:

  • four classrooms
  • food technology room
  • a swimming/hydrotherapy pool
  • school hall
  • therapeutic and medical treatment facilities, including a £1.2 million therapy suite
  • a multi-sensory studio with Spacekraft lighting
  • onsite cinema
  • two white rooms - to encourage sensory interaction and provide a calm environment
  • two sensory gardens, one with shade sails, sensory lighting and water features
  • a new creative arts studio

Residential care and accommodation

The school and residential houses are purpose-built on an open, attractive campus and have recently benefited from a £2 million-plus refurbishment programme. Our comfortable and secure residential accommodation consists of three self-contained houses, each with a dining room, lounge, and three single and two twin bedrooms.

All houses have new conservatories, along with air conditioning and modern bedrooms for each student. All three houses share a communal kitchen and children have access to a sensory garden. Penhurst School also has modern administrative facilities, a conference suite, a workshop and residential accommodation for staff. All the facilities cater for the needs of children with profound and complex disabilities, including hoists, personal aids and other specialist equipment.

There are approximately seven children in each of the mixed-gender residential care groups. Following the offer of a place at Penhurst School, all new pupils are allocated a key worker who will be responsible for maintaining good links with the child's family and for co-ordinating services.

To help parents and immediate family maintain strong family bonds, we have a family centre where parents and siblings can stay with their child overnight or on an extended break.

Residential staff are organised into three shifts over each 24-hour period so there is always a team of staff on duty. There is also a full team of night staff on waking duty in each house throughout the night.

Contact details

Principal: Derek Lyseight-Jones
Phone: 01608 647020
Email: penhurst.school@actionforchildren.org.uk
Post: Action for Children Penhurst School, New Street, Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire OX7 5LN


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