Armley Grange School: New Leeds school for autistic children opens with 'state of the art immersion room'

The school is set within a beautiful, historic building on Armley Grange Drive that has been completely refurbished and redesigned to accommodate up to 40 children and young people. Part of Options Autism, the new facility provides a caring, structured learning environment, so all pupils can engage with their education and achieve their full potential.

Headteacher April Boyd, who has over ten years’ experience working with autistic children and young people, said: “Armley Grange is helping to address the shortage of places available to autistic children and young people and their families in the surrounding area, who require a small, nurturing environment to allow them to flourish.

“Our curriculum and approach strives to provide pathways that match the capacity and potential of each of our learners. Previously, pupils may have experienced significant barriers to learning, so our priority is to ensure they succeed as they progress along to the next stage of their individual learning journey.”

The refurbishment has been engineered to create an environment suited to meet the needs of autistic children. An autism specific colour scheme is used throughout the classrooms and learning spaces, which include quiet reflective areas as well as a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces to support the pupils’ sensory needs.

Ms Boyd said: “Our state-of-the-art immersion room, provides pupils with a digital multi-sensory environment in which they can interact through touch, sight and sound. As well as providing engaging and expansive learning experiences, the children can be introduced to new situations, such as, going on public transport, from the comfort and safety of school, to help prepare them for the real-life trip.

“With our high staff to pupil ratio, we can deliver a curriculum which is meaningful, engaging and fun.”

Ms Boyd said that the school offers a “rich and varied curriculum” and has a focus on “developing core life-skills” so that pupils can be as independent as possible when they leave. She said: “We want them to be confident, responsible citizens able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives, and make a positive contribution to society.

“Relationships are at the heart of our approach, and are based on a sensitive understanding of the individual child or young person’s experiences, and the areas in which they require more support. We recognise that behaviour is a form of communication, and all staff work together to promote the healthy physical, social, and emotional development of each pupil.”

The school’s clinical team will aim to work closely with the school, parents and other professionals and therapy targets are integrated into the school day. The team includes an educational psychologist, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists, as well as additional access to other services including a counsellor, as required.

Ms Boyd said: “Every child has the right to access an education that enables them to reach their full potential, and that’s what we endeavour to achieve here at Armley Grange.”

For more information about Armley Grange School, or to find out about upcoming open days, visit their website.