Rowan Wood information

The Compass Partnership of Schools has now completed its Section 10 consultation in relation to Rowan Wood School.

When opening a new school, it is a requirement to hold a consultation as set out by Section 10 of the Academies Act 2010. The consultation is not related to any building or planning applications surrounding the new school; it is solely to consult on whether there is support for The Compass Partnership of Schools to enter into a Funding Agreement with the Secretary of State for Education to operate Rowan Wood School. Sample agreements can be viewed here

The purpose of this consultation is to allow parents and/or carers, pupils, staff and governors from local schools, local authorities, councillors, local residents and any other interested parties to learn more about The Compass Partnership of Schools’ plans for Rowan Wood School and share their views.

The consultation period ran from 16 September 2024 to 28 October 2024. The report and FAQs can be found below.

Rowan Wood School:

To help meet the increased demand for special school places in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, The Compass Partnership of Schools is pleased to be opening Rowan Wood School. It will be a special free school which caters for up to 240 primary and secondary aged children and young people (5-19 year olds). The SEN designation that the school will cater for is Autism with Complex Learning Needs.

All placements will be fulltime. The Royal Borough of Greenwich anticipate that all places will be filled within the Royal Borough of Greenwich.

The opening of Rowan Wood School will be phased. The secondary and sixth form campus and primary campus will open during 2025/26.

Compass Partnership of Schools: Expertise in special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)

The Compass Partnership of Schools has a well-documented record of strengths in education for children and young people with special educational needs, consistently recognised by Ofsted in both special and mainstream sectors. An experienced and dedicated team of leaders ensure that principles of inclusion and inclusivity are non-negotiables and anchor the approach to pedagogy and school development. Willow Dene is central to The Compass Partnership of Schools, sharing expertise to ensure that children and young people with special educational needs are well-supported in their mainstream settings.

Willow Dene is an outstanding special school and the only special school in Greenwich which meets the needs of children and young people aged 2-19 who have a wide range of special educational needs. At Willow Dene, teachers and support staff are exceptional practitioners, who work as part of an extensive multi-disciplinary team of specialists to plan learning pathways that ensure children and young people are given the best opportunities to thrive and become independent.

You can read more about what Ofsted say about our expertise and impact in SEND here: SEND Expertise

Mission statement and vision:

Rowan Wood School is committed to making a positive difference to the life chances of all the children and young people (CYP) who attend our school.

Rowan Wood School will:

Form the foundation of the education plan which enables all CYP to be active learners moving towards independence, autonomy, control and choice regardless of their starting point.
Be ambitious for CYP with autism by setting aspirational targets, having high, consistent expectations, and a focus on essential areas such as communication, learning, social and self-help skills.
Provide a high quality, broad, inclusive curriculum, matched to the learning profile of CYP.
Have CYP at the centre, minimising educational disadvantage and ensuring that every CYP has the opportunity to thrive, be successful and have passions that can be built on.
Have a strong sense of being part of the local, global and cultural communities surrounding the CYP enabling them to be valued and valuable members of the communities of which they are part.
Embrace local faith communities contributing to the ethos that all are welcome and included, proactively breaking down barriers to acceptance of and access for CYP with autism.
Be pupil and family focused, hearing the voices of pupils and their families within the school and ensuring they can see a positive future for their CYP and can celebrate their progress and successes.
Have high expectations of and aspirations for CYP and staff in line with Willow Dene’s successful vision of ’Seeing Possibilities and Realising Dreams’. This will include a considered approach to challenging and removing barriers to learning.
Facilitate a safe, secure and supportive environment enabling CYP to become more independent and resilient, be happy, and enjoy learning. Maximising the environmental aspects of the building, such as the outdoor space and transition routes will allow a focus on autism as a speciality.
Capitalise on the benefits of all-through education such as educational continuity, and the large-scale capacity such as the vastly diverse school community and wide-ranging expertise of staff.
Complement and work in partnership with Willow Dene; learning from, but also contributing to, collective local expertise for the benefit of CYP and their families.
Provide a wide range of motivating, appropriate educational visits and residential school journeys which enable CYP to broaden their experiences outside of home and school.
Working in partnership with the Royal Borough of Greenwich to extend the school day in a way that is meaningful to CYP and manageable for families.

Our learner offer:

Curriculum rationale and philosophy

Our curriculum has been carefully designed to meet the holistic needs of CYP so that they thrive and are successful, to lead fulfilled lives as valued and valuable members of their communities. This aligns to the school’s vision.
Using Willow Dene’s tried and tested model, CYP will sit at the heart of the curriculum at all phases, reflecting the goal for CYP to be enabled as active learners who develop independence, autonomy, and control.
The curriculum provides access to all areas of the National Curriculum for children in KS1-KS3 This breadth is balanced with a CYP-centred approach, with elements we consider essential for CYP with autism, including communication, regulation, independence, digital skills, and Preparing for Adulthood. As CYP move into KS4 and KS5, they will develop their strengths and interests with accredited learning and work opportunities.
The curriculum is organised to ensure that CYP’s individual learning needs, defined in EHCPs and through careful assessment, are prioritised. This personalisation ensures learning is meaningful and purposeful, from CYP’s unique starting points, so all can enjoy learning, make progress and achieve.
The curriculum at all phases is structured to ensure a clear progression and end points. Each key stage builds on what has gone before and adds layers to offer opportunities and challenge.
Therapeutic provision will be integrated into the curriculum using a universal, targeted and specialist model. Lead therapists will be involved in strategic planning to ensure that this is deliverable.
The curriculum will be delivered through a range of specialist teaching approaches, designed for CYP with autism.

We will take a needs-led approach to class groupings, according to CYP’s learning, social communication, and sensory processing needs, so all CYP will be taught with appropriate peers; have access to a specialist learning environment; have an appropriately adapted, ambitious curriculum; and be supported by skilled staff.

We will employ the established model of four learning profiles used by Willow Dene which inform curriculum, assessment and wider provision. These cover CYP working at the earliest levels of development, through to those learning subject-specific knowledge. You can learn more about the learning profiles here.

Admissions & statement of provision:

Admission to Rowan Wood School is determined by the local authority (Royal Borough of Greenwich). The Royal Borough of Greenwich’s place planning projections indicate that all places will be filled within the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Other local authorities (OLAs) must consult with the local authority for a place at this school. The Statement of Provision for Rowan Wood School can be found here.

A copy of our admissions policy can be found here: Admissions Arrangements

How will Rowan Wood School and Willow Dene work together? Willow Dene is a popular, oversubscribed special school, with smaller secondary provision than primary. This means that Willow Dene is not always able to offer places to children and young people who need them. There is also less flexibility to move children and young people around. The opening of Rowan Wood School will:

meet the increased demand for special school places in the Royal Borough of Greenwich
help to ease the over subscription challenges of Willow Dene
develop the specific needs of children with Autism with Complex Learning Needs

Willow Dene will continue to accommodate pupils with Autism and more Complex Learning Needs, such as medical conditions or the involvement of a number of health professionals; including therapists.

School location:

The secondary and sixth form campus (years 7 to 14) is to be built at Hargood Road, SE3 8HR, on the former site of Kidbrooke Park Primary School. Planning permission for this has already been granted. A purpose built, new build will be created on the site. The primary campus (Reception to Year 6) will be developed on an alternative site within the borough. Its location is to be confirmed.

Facilities:

Rowan Wood School will provide purpose-built, state of the art facilities for the children and young people. This includes:

Suspended equipment room for sensory processing work
Large, multi-function hall
A dedicated dining hall
Forest school areas
2 sensory rooms, fulfilling different functions
Sensory circuit room
Multi use games area (MUGA)
Food technology room
Libraries
A dedicated sixth-form area which includes a common room, kitchen & life skills room
Therapy spacespecialist music room
Specialist room for teaching science
Generous outdoor spaces
Dedicated teaching spaces to cater for all ages
61 parking spaces, including charging facilities for electric vehicles

Artist impressions of the new build proposals for the secondary and sixth form campus are available here: Rowan Wood School Facilities