Admissions
The Windmill School is a Special Academy Free School managed by Barnet Special Education Trust. At capacity, the school will be funded to make provision for 90 children and young people between the ages of 5 and 19 years old with a diagnosed autism spectrum condition as their primary need.
Successful applications for admission will identify The Windmill School as the most appropriate provision for the needs of the student; where they will find a peer group that supports their wellbeing, and where they will have the best chance of making academic and personal progress.
For a young person to be admitted, The Windmill School must be named by a local authority on their Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP). The overwhelming majority of young people admitted are resident in the London Borough of Barnet, who are our primary commissioners, out of borough requests will be processed by the schools admissions team and the Barnet SEND Admin team. We are heavily oversubscribed as the only publicly funded school that is highly autism specific. In Barnet there are a range of suitable school provisions and Autism Resourced Provisions attached to mainstream schools (ARP). The Windmill School offers a complementary school setting for those children and young people who's needs cannot be met in other mainstream, generic special school or ARP.
Local authorities manage requests for placements at The Windmill School. Once we receive a consultation our own admissions panel members will review the request, observe the young person in their current setting and talk to families and professionals, before determining whether a place can be offered.
Each application to The Windmill School is considered on an individual basis. In every case, our admissions process evaluates the needs of the individual child or young person their potential to access our curriculum and compatibility with a peer group.
The School and Trust must consent to being named on an EHCP, except where admitting the young person would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education for other students; and where no reasonable steps may be made to secure compatibility. The School and Trust will have regard to relevant guidance issued by the Secretary of State to maintained schools when making its determination.
In some circumstances the school may also admit a young person for the purposes of an assessment of their educational needs, in agreement with the LA, the Academy trust, the young person’s parent and any other professional whose advice is to be sought in accordance with regulations.
Pupils will have language they use for intentional communication and emotional expression and have developed early interaction with others. It is expected that most pupils will access the National Curriculum at an age appropriate level where autism specialist accommodations are made.
Key Stage 1 placements at The Windmill School
We offer suitable placement for pupils whose spoken language is their main form of communication, they will have a vocabulary that exceeds more than 100 words/ phrases, share intentions and emotional expression with others. Pupils will also understand some non-verbal cues in familiar settings and understand words, sentences and phrases with a range of communication partners. Please note motivation to communicate is a huge barrier for autistic children and we are acutely aware that many children have developed language at a developmentally appropriate level but socially may revert to non-verbal means to make their needs known, particularly when overcome with anxiety and therefore are situationally mute. We distinguish this from children for whom non-verbal communication is supported by alternative augmentative communication systems.
Key Stage 2 and 3 placements
We offer suitable placements for those who have a communication profile described above and additionally have the academic potential to access and thrive within smaller low arousal social learning environments accessing a Key Stage 2 curriculum. Pupils will have some capacity for emotional and sensory regulation in familiar settings. Pupils will access independent learning when transactional supports including learning supports or visual systems are in place.
Parents/Carers considering The Windmill School for their child may be offered opportunities to visit the school, however please be mindful we have an exceptionally high number of requests, therefore consider if your visit is absolutely necessary as questions could be answered with a phone call.
Please contact the school office info@thewindmillschool.org or telephone 0203 062 3600 for further advice.
If following your visit you are interested in a place for your child and you are a Barnet resident, you should contact the Special Needs Department by email at senadmin@barnet.gov.uk or telephone 020 8359 7007. If you live outside of Barnet, please contact your relevant local authority for further information.