Poppy attends our Arc Oakbridge School in Birmingham. The school, based in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham, is an independent specialist provision providing education for young people who are on the autism spectrum and have complex needs.

We caught up with Poppy’s parents, to find out how the school is supporting their daughter towards a much happier future.

“Poppy started at Arc Oakbridge in 2020 following the breakdown of her mainstream placement. She was struggling immensely with anxiety and felt overwhelmed, we all did. Sensory processing was a huge challenge for her and although she was coping ok academically, she was left unable to access her mainstream provision.

Over the last couple of years, we have had the joy of watching her make incredible progress at Oakbridge. Feeling the relief of Poppy being in a setting where they understand her needs (and if they don't, making every effort to ensure they learn) and where the focus is her wellbeing. 

Our experience of Oakbridge has taught us that if the environment is right, the rest will follow, and Poppy’s last school year has shown first-hand how true this is. She has managed to catch up and, in some areas, exceed her academic expectations after missing almost two years of education. Even more excitingly she has begun to use strategies to self-regulate. 

All the staff go above and beyond to understand her struggles while recognising her efforts and celebrating her successes. The non- judgmental and nurturing approach combined with the low arousal physical environment is a winning combination. We genuinely couldn’t ask for more!”

The team would be more than happy to speak to you about Arc Oakbridge on 0800 024 6985 or [email protected].