Redwood Park all set for September opening

By Tim Bateup
Contributor
Published 22nd Apr 2025, 13:23 BST
Updated 22nd Apr 2025, 13:28 BST
Preparations for September’s opening of CCS Redwood Park are progressing well. The new Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) school in Loughton, Milton Keynes, has been well-received by parents in the surrounding area, with applications for places now well under way. With specialist SEND placements at a premium, local authorities have also expressed ongoing interest in the project.

Part of the Compass Community Schools group, Redwood Park will offer specialist education for up to 90 children aged 7 to 19. The new provision is designed to support children with a range of SEND and Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, and aims to provide a consistent, nurturing learning environment. Each year group will be based in one of four dedicated buildings on a single campus, allowing for smaller, tailored learning communities.

Redwood Park follows the Compass model, which prioritises therapeutic, child-centred education. With a maximum of six students per class and access to a multi-disciplinary team of professionals, the school will deliver a highly personalised curriculum.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This curriculum will combine academic subjects with therapeutic input and vocational opportunities. The school’s approach focuses on helping pupils feel safe, understood and ready to learn, with individualised support plans in place for each student. Compass Community Schools has a strong track record in this area, with all of its schools rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted for personal development and behaviour.

User (UGC) Submittedplaceholder image
User (UGC) Submitted

Executive headteacher, Charlotte Fernandes, has been working hard to get the school ready and is looking forward to its opening. “We are all incredibly proud of the wide range of academic and vocational opportunities that Redwood Park will offer children with SEND and SEMH needs,” she said. “I’m especially excited about our animal-led therapies, which bring so many benefits to our pupils, as well as our newly developed learning pathways: Roots, Shoots, Leaves, and Established—which are designed to support learners at every step on their educational journeys.”

Staff recruitment is well underway, with deputy headteachers and several teaching and support roles already filled. The school has already sent out offers to a number of families and is continuing to process new applications ahead of the September intake.

For more information, or to enquire about a place, please contact: [email protected]

Related topics:Special Educational Needs and DisabilitiesMilton Keynes
News you can trust since 1981
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice