Doucecroft School Services is registered for 79 pupils in the age range of 3 to 19. All pupils must have a Statement of Special Educational Needs identifying they have Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC). Many pupils have additional needs relating to medical conditions and emotional and behavioural difficulties. Pupils and students are placed by a number of local authorities in the east and south east of England, including some London boroughs.

The school has two sites. The main site for pupils/students aged 3 to 19 is at Eight Ash Green on the outskirts of Colchester. It has a large campus with a school, boarding accommodation and administration offices. Seven miles away in the village of Kelvedon, a substantial property houses further facilities for 15 students aged 16 to 19. Both sites offer weekly boarding and day provision to both boys and girls.

At Eight Ash Green, the Triad of Impairment informs Individual Education Plans and supports the delivery of a curriculum through Key Stages 1-4, adapted and differentiated to meet individual need.

"The curriculum is good. It has developed well because of the school's good knowledge and understanding of pupils' learning difficulties and additional needs ... As a Result, it offers a broad, balanced programme of work and activities that are matched well to all pupils' needs and capabilities."

OFSTED December 2007

There is enhanced provision for Physical Education with extensive use of community facilities and good facilities on site. To support curriculum delivery the Eight Ash Green site also has a teaching kitchen, two sensory rooms, a fitness gym, a school hall, ICT (Information & Communication Technology) and Design & Technology facilities and large play areas.
The school has five vehicles which are used extensively to promote learning and in particular the development of social skills and the generalisation of skills to different settings.

Post 16 Education

Doucecroft School services offers post compulsory education for 16 to 19 year olds with ASC who would benefit from a curriculum that is designed to maximise the transference of skills for independence across a range of settings.

Further Education is offered both at Kelvedon and Eight Ash Green. The Kelvedon site is located in the centre of the busy village and its location affords easy access to main line trains and bus routes. The site is large and currently accommodates 14 students in all, 8 of whom are weekly boarders and the other 6 are day students. There is a large garden to the rear, where students learn to grow vegetables and maintain the lawns and plants.

Post 16 education is also offered at the Eight Ash Green site at present for up to 12 students. This provides a safe, secure environment with extensive facilities on site. Regular community access takes place using one of the three minibuses. Students at Eight Ash Green have enhanced provision for physical education if appropriate and the opportunity to join option groups alongside key stage 4 students. Weekly boarding is available in a large modern house where independent living skills are strongly emphasised.

We offer a broad range of subjects, tailored to suit the individual needs of our students. Emphasis is placed on the need to be able to engage with tasks in a wider context, so that skills are globalised. To this end we offer a curriculum that gives students many different learning opportunities; on site and in the community. We access main stream facilities for education and leisure, supporting our students according to their need and level of motivation. We believe that students should learn to be as self reliant as possible and we aim to equip them with the ability to begin to solve problems for themselves.

See the Residential Provision See the School sites in our Virtual Tour Please contact the School for more information