Swindon Academy meeting special needs demands

A secondary school in Swindon is thriving despite thanks to the efforts of school staff, despite having an unusually high proportion of children with special needs.

An Ofsted monitoring report found that despite approximately 50 per cent of students at Swindon Academy having some form of learning or behavioural problem, overall standards of teaching in the school were improving, the Swindon Advertiser reports.

Principal of Swindon Academy Jan Shadick told the newspaper: "There are very, very few schools with the same level of special education needs.

"[However], we cope with those needs and never use it as an excuse. We are a comprehensive school and also have children who are gifted and talented."

Teachers at the school are responsible for the education of 1,200 pupils, with up to 60 per cent of students in some years requiring special needs support from school staff and classroom support assistants.

Swindon Academy is a member of the United Learning Trust and is comprised of pupils from four former schools in the locality, Pinehurst Infants, Pinehurst Juniors, Penhill School and Headlands.

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