We understand that choosing a new school can be a difficult decision, particularly where children have complex needs.

Our provision is tailored for academically able students with autism or anxiety and related needs. If you are considering a Wider Ambition setting for your child, please start by reading our Student Profile, as places can only be offered to students whose needs and presentation will not conflict with those of our existing students

Students at our settings are ordinarily funded by Local Authorities via an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). If your child hasn’t yet got an EHCP, information is available from IPSEA or your local Independent Advice and Support Service.

If your child has an EHCP or is currently being assessed for an EHCP, we are happy to assess whether a Wider Ambition setting might be right for them. Please complete our parental initial enquiry form and one of our team will  be in touch to invite you to visit your preferred setting at an adult-only open event. Following this visit, we will request copies of all reports and documents relating to your child’s additional needs and school experiences.

To support our assessment process, we may ask you and your child to meet one of our admissions team and/or therapists so that we can further explore your child’s needs. Where children have had traumatic school experiences and/or have high anxiety, we will adapt our assessment procedures as far as possible to take account of these additional needs. The assessment process is likely to occur in conjunction with a referral from your Local Authority or, if applicable, alongside your appeal to the SEND Tribunal.  However, you do not need to wait for your Local Authority to consult with Wider Ambition before making an admissions enquiry.

Once we feel we have sufficient information, our admissions panel will decide whether to offer your child a place at a Wider Ambition setting, taking  care to ensure that all the information available has been considered.  We will inform you of the admissions panel outcome in writing.

Once a placement has been agreed, our staff will contact you to arrange a meeting to formulate a transition plan. Transition plans are made collaboratively with the student, parents,  and, where appropriate, the current school placement.

Our students often require a gradual start, particularly where they have previous school-related trauma or have had a long period out of education.   In order to ensure that any increase in attendance is sustainable and to avoid students feeling under pressure, we take a student-led approach to the speed of transition.

We take care to ensure that arrangements during the transition period are a fair reflection of our standard full-time offer, to avoid students experiencing unnecessary change as they progress towards full-time attendance.

The level of academic challenge provided during transition is tailored to each student’s needs, enabling them to experience early success and to work towards full-time attendance.  We review the level of academic challenge with each student on an ongoing basis, in co-production with parents and therapists, to find a balance which supports both their ability to attend and access the curriculum and the academic success that will facilitate their individual aspirations.  It often takes time for students to develop the resilience to face increased academic challenge, but our individualised approach is designed to make the most of every opportunity for learning.

Information about how we process your data during the Admissions Assessment Process is available in our Privacy Statement.