Norfolk School Plans to Provide More Support for Students with Autism

Dan Carter, Principal at Thetford Academy
Photo Credit: Inspiration Trust

A secondary school in Norfolk, England plans to give more support to students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) starting January 2021 by giving them the educational resources deserve. Thetford Academy, under the Inspiration Trust, was the selected school, at the Department for Education’s East of England Headteacher board meeting on May 21, 2020, to provide support for the students with ASD.

Starting January 2021, the school will have 20 teenagers with ASD from across all of Norfolk, at its Specialist Resource Base (SRB). “The Specialist Resource Base will help ensure that pupils are able to access the support and education that they deserve. We are so happy to be working as a partnership with Norfolk County Council to provide this service for the Breckland area”, said Iain Mackintosh, Director of Inclusion at Inspiration Trust to Thetford and Brandon Times.

Rick O’Connor has a 10-year-old daughter with ASD named Lilly-Ann. She is one of the students who will attend Thetford Academy in September. “It’s good that autism is being recognized and SRB’s offer intensive education from specialized teachers, but they shouldn’t need to move just to be able to get the support they need. I as a parent would’ve liked to see something more permanent within the classroom.” said O’Connor to Thetford and Brandon Times.

They will offer extra learning spaces and more support for children with ASD which will let them stay in a mainstream education. It will also provide support and care for students via their new SRB intensive education from specialized teachers.

This happened after Norfolk County Council said in 2018 that they would create more than 500 extra spaces for children with ASD across the country and it would invest £120m in specialist school places.

“I’m pleased that Thetford Academy will be able to support 20 children at its new Specialist Resource Base (SRB). Being able to offer support and care for students with our new SRB is an honor and we’re looking forward to see the next chapter”, said Dan Carter, principal of Thetford Academy to Thetford and Brandon Times.