Welcome Text

Welcome to The Hawthorns, a school for children with autism in the centre of Chelmsford and proud to be part of the SEAX Multi Academy Trust.

Although small and in temporary accommodation, we offer a warm and welcoming school with a strong purposeful team of adults dedicated to each individual pupil’s academic and personal progress.Our new permanent building is due to be ready to move into in February 2025 ‘over the fence’. It is a big year ahead with much to do but meanwhile we continue to provide a happy school where pupils can be themselves and learn, enabling them to be confident, healthy adults proud to be part of society, ready to make their contribution and succeed.

Through the understanding of individual needs and positive relationships, our pupils thrive. We continually strive to provide high quality learning experiences with the required support so pupils can engage and learn alongside each other, build confidence and friendships, acquire skills and knowledge and achieve.

Opened in January 2023, we offer a rich, evolving and purposeful curriculum, which is committed to learning and achievement with wellbeing at its heart. All our pupils have the development of social communication as a core need as well as requiring adaptations to engage with learning and increasing independence. The promotion of these skills is, therefore, to central to everything we do. Our commitment is to work together with families to prepare our young people for adulthood with the skills, knowledge, confidence and understanding to navigate our complex world with as much independence as possible.

I hope you find the website helpful, and I look forward to hearing from you. With very best wishes, Mrs Diane Rigg, Headteacher