Parkwood Hall Co-operative Academy

Mission Statement: growth through personal and social development

Parkwood Hall Special Needs School converted to a Co-operative Academy in 2015 to secure our independent future, having first become Foundation Trust School in 2014. We are now in the fortunate position of owning our buildings and the 78 acres of wood and parkland in which our school is set on the outskirts of Swanley. 

We are ideally situated just off the junction of the M25 and the M20 and are able to offer both day and residential places to students from the London Boroughs, Kent and the South East of England. Our places are in demand and we are currently over-subscribed. We have the capacity to increase the number of places offered through careful planning and development.

Our school admits children with significant learning disabilities and a variety of additional needs. Although we are improving the accessibility of our buildings and grounds, we are not yet able to fully meet the needs of students who rely on wheels for their mobility. Our small classes of around 6-8 students mostly learn in large classrooms in the main building with plenty of opportunity for outdoor learning, and access to our two Forest School sites. We employ a diverse team of therapists who work with our teachers to accelerate learning. All our students benefit from a free school lunch, cooked on site by our catering team.

Our buildings are mainly Victorian, we started out as a Convalescent Home in 1892, with a market garden growing produce for the residents, and the original house in the grounds becoming the Nurses’ Home. Some of our staff currently live on site here now. We also have a boarding house in the grounds and a gatehouse, as well as many other outhouses, and even a derelict old laundry deep in the woods!

Our calm nurturing ethos, and our well supported staff create a great environment in which to learn. Our Ofsted judgements are good and our parents are our strongest supporters. Here are some quotes from the latest parental survey:

“The school meets his needs, and has allowed him to calm down, know he is safe, and start to

grow into the young man I am so proud of today.”

“It has literally been the happiest he has ever been in school. This has had such a positive effect

on him and on us as a family as a whole, helping to keep us together. “

“The first time I have not had to worry about him when he is not with family, because Parkwood had become a second family to him. “

“We have daily contact book and PEP, school review and phone contact”

“My daughter is respected and well looked after by every member of staff”

Whilst we are a stand alone Academy we take our co-operative values very seriously. They are Self-Responsibility, Self-Help, Equality, Solidarity, Democracy, and Equity. In addition, our ethical values are Honesty, Openness, Social Responsibility and Caring for Others. We are on the look out for ways in which we can co-operate for educational and social purpose.