News / SEND
New special education school opens in Bristol
A trust that specialises in supporting students with special educational needs has fulfilled a long-held ambition of opening a new school in Bristol.
Grace Garden School opened on June 9 and provides places for children aged nine to sixteen years, who have complex needs, including those with a diagnosis of autism and associated learning difficulties.
The new facility on an 18-acre site just off Canford Lane is run by South Gloucestershire-based specialist education provider Ruskin Mill Trust.
is needed now More than ever
A £3m loan from Triodos Bank, as well as funding from Catherine Grace Trust, has meant the trust can buy the building that was formally an assisted living facility and fully renovate it, with further plans to open residential provision in 2023.
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Ruskin Mill takes a holistic approach to education, with a focus on experiential learning in fields such as the arts, agriculture, and the environment, which is interwoven with mandatory outcomes of the curriculum.
The idyllic 18-acre site will provide the space needed for a curriculum that offers extensive outdoor and land-based opportunities using biodynamic horticulture methods, alongside harvesting the materials needed for crafting activities.
Francesca Meynell, executive principal of Grace Garden School, said: “We are so fortunate to have found a wonderful site for our new school: we have 18 acres of cultivated land on the edge of the city, bursting with potential for our work.”
Grace Garden School is set within an 18-acre site – photo courtesy of Ruskin Mill Trust
Bristol’s special educational needs crisis has been well-documented, with the council signing off plans to create 66 new specialist places in mainstream schools in May in a bid to address the shortfall of around 250 places.
Grace Garden specialises in providing an education to young people with complex social, emotional and behavioural difficulties including Autism Spectrum conditions.
Commenting on the £3m loan to the trust, Phillip Bate, South West regional team manager at Triodos Bank UK, said: “We aim to deliver positive impact through our lending, and a key area of focus is ensuring that all children have access to education and a good quality of life.
“We’ve worked with Ruskin Mill Trust for over two decades now and are delighted to help support more children to benefit from its holistic approach to learning.”
Main photo courtesy of Ruskin Mill Trust
Read more: Plans to increase SEND provision in Bristol ‘significantly delayed’
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