Ipswich special needs school celebrates new premises

Phoenix had been home-schooled by his mum, until he was accepted at Woodbridge Road Academy

A special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) school has celebrated its new premises.

Woodbridge Road Academy, Ipswich, held its opening ceremony at the new site on Russet Road.

The school opened its doors to students at the beginning of the term, having previously been located inside Murrayside Community Centre.

Principal Naomi Shenton described the difference the new academy is already making as "massive".

Naomi Shenton hopes many of the pupils will go on to do GCSEs

Ms Shenton said the academy aimed to meet students' potential in a "more flexible way than a mainstream school".

This includes having small classes, allowing movement breaks, and unorthodox beanbag seating where needed.

"We follow as close to a mainstream curriculum as we can. That means they get that broad and balanced range of subjects," said Ms Shenton.

Woodbridge Road Academy welcomes students aged nine to 16. When operating from the community centre, the school had just 18 students but now it has 62.

It is run by Paradigm Trust, and places are offered to qualifying students by Suffolk County Council.

Pupil Anton said the academy has "all the stuff we need to help us"

One of the pupils Phoenix, 11, said the new facilities were "great".

"They have a library now, so I can read some books, and a cafeteria, so I can eat my food at lunch.

"There's so many new areas which I still haven't seen yet, so I'm looking forward to that," he said.

His mum Rachel said the new building had been a "godsend" for her family.

"Phoenix had not had a school place for a very long time because no schools were able to meet his needs, and a lot of special schools had turned him down.

"When he was accepted here, it was lifechanging," she said.

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Emma said her son Anton was like a "different child" since attending Woodbridge Road Academy.

Anton, 15, is the oldest student at the school. He feels more settled at the academy than he was elsewhere, she added.