Thank you for taking the time to look at Bensham Manor School Website. We hope you will find the information within the site both useful and exciting. We are a happy secondary special school situated in Thornton Heath North West Croydon, very proud to be a “Communication Friendly” school. This underpins the whole life of the school. Our curriculum focuses on language and functional skills development. Our students come from across Croydon and occasionally from neighbouring authorities if their specific SEN cannot be met elsewhere.

Our school is a calm and productive learning environment where the staff team seeks to maximise the potential of every student and to take advantage of every learning opportunity. The curriculum is broad balanced and fit to support our pupils into the 21st Century. This year we maintained our Good Ofsted with outstanding features Ofsted status and continued to be a Flagship school for Inclusion and Healthy Eating. In January our Pastoral Care and PSHCE programme was recognised by UNICEF Rights and Respecting with a Silver award. In May we were granted accreditation by the National Autistic Society (NAS).

Entry level, GCSE, Enterprise Education, Work Experience and the Duke of Edinburgh Award is on the timetable for most KS4/5 students. This offer enables students to experience the practical application of their learning and to gain the skills necessary to achieve employability. All our leavers are offered appropriate Post 16 placements in either FE Colleges or our own post 16 Department and have the self-confidence as independent learners to participate fully in the adult world.

Our beliefs and philosophies of teaching and learning are underpinned by the values of collaborative practice. As a school our therapists and teachers work together to ensure that students have the best possible experience at the school. Strategies and interventions are researched based and targeted to support the needs of the students.  We believe that every child can succeed and we have tailored our curriculum to develop their literacy, employability and independence living skills.

Bensham Manor students have an Education, Health and Care Plan. They are lively, thoughtful and always ready to participate in a wide range of curriculum and extra-curricular activities. They are a remarkable group of young people and it is an enormous privilege to work alongside them as they make the journey following the transition from primary school all the way to adulthood.

Phil Poulton, Headteacher