Aspen Class - Special Support Centre

Aspen Class, the Orchards Special Support Centre, supports children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs. It offers up to 15 places for pupils who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) identifying severe speech and language difficulties as their primary need. Decisions about admission are made by the West Sussex Special Assessment Team, in consultation with the Head Teacher, Teacher in Charge and the Speech and Language Therapist.

Children are provided with a curriculum that is carefully adapted in both pace and content to meet the needs of those with speech and language disorders. It is delivered within a communication‑friendly environment by skilled, well‑trained and experienced staff.

Staff work in partnership with parents, external professionals, mainstream colleagues and peers to ensure each child’s individual needs are met, creating a balanced approach that supports their social and emotional well-being alongside their academic development.

Inclusion is a core value for us. We make sure every pupil has genuine opportunities to mix with, and form friendships within, their mainstream class—rather than just those who attend the SSC. Children in Aspen Class are celebrated for their strengths in other areas of the curriculum also and given the opportunity, if they wish, to perform on stage, to attend a specially organised afterschool club and to participate in SEND activities both internally and externally, where they can represent their school. This is all supported by a nurturing and encouraging trained team.