Placements are offered and secured through a referral process led and managed by Suffolk County Council.  Referrals can be sent to Family Coordinators by SENCo's following an Annual Review of a pupils' EHCP.  

The Ashley School Academy Trust is a Community Special School (Academy Status February 2012) which provides day and residential education for 180 pupils with learning difficulties, many with associated disabilities such as speech and language difficulties, autism, and behavioural difficulties, and an increasing number of pupils with complex needs. All pupils have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and come from a wide area of North Suffolk and most are transported to school. Pupils enter the school at any time during Years 3 to 10 with attainment that is well below average, they have often had disrupted education and poor attendance.

The Ashley School Academy Trust includes part-time Residential Provision. (Outstanding - OfSTED November 2024) 

“The overall effectiveness of The Ashley School Academy Trust is OUTSTANDING”

Our staff team is made up of teachers, specialist support staff, administrators, ICT and premises staff. They are highly skilled and totally committed to achieving the very best possible outcome for every learner at The Ashley School Academy Trust.

We are able to provide high levels of support through small class sizes. Relationships are excellent and staff have very good expertise in curriculum knowledge, teaching social & emotional skills and behaviour management. Staff are able to deescalate potential crises' and support pupils to resolve their issues. This helps the school to be an orderly community.  However a very small minority of pupils are sometimes unable to control their behaviour. 

The majority of The Ashley School Academy Trust pupils have a primary special educational need (SEN) for moderate or complex learning difficulties through the statutory assessment process. There are a growing number of learners who are not primarily in this category including learners with an autistic spectrum condition (34%), those with a severe learning difficulty, speech & language difficulties, behavioural, social and emotional difficulties, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, hearing impairment, visual impairment, physical difficulties and complex medical needs. Pupils’ cognitive range predominantly falls within the 1st and 2nd centile.

The attainment of pupils on entry to The Ashley School Academy Trust is well below the national average. All pupils complete baseline assessments on entry. These often reveal weaknesses in literacy and numeracy.

The Ashley School Academy Trust operates across a campus style site and provides:

KS2

KS2 offers full-time places for up to 48 pupils including ‘nurture’. Classes are predominantly taught in year groups and via a ‘Primary’ model, although pupils are able to access specialist teaching and facilities in some areas

KS3

KS3 offers full-time places for up to 72 pupils. Classes are ‘vertically’ grouped to meet the vast range of learning needs. Year 7 are taught predominantly via a ‘Primary’ model with access to some specialist teaching and facilities

KS4

KS4 offers full-time places for up to 44 pupils. Classes are taught as both mixed ability ‘Tutor’ groups and ‘streamed’ for some specialist teaching.

Specialist facilities include Horticulture poly tunnels, Multi Trade area, Food Technology, Design Technology, Science facilities, Music Studios, Drama Studio, Swimming Pool, Flat 28 …

Residential provision provides a Monday-Thursday residential provision for up to 29 learners across The Ashley School Academy Trust. Through this Residence provides Duke of Edinburgh activities for our school community.  The provision currently supports 60 part time pupils who stay between 1 and 4 nights each week in provision and/or access ‘link’

Linked team for Statutory Assessment and EHCPs:  Lowestoft & Waveney Family Services Team (SENDLW@suffolk.gov.uk)