Treetops School
| Treetops School | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
Buxton Road , , RM16 2WU | |
| Information | |
| Type | Special school |
| Established | 1960 |
| Headteacher | Jon Brewer |
| Gender | Mixed |
| Age | 3 to 19 |
| Enrolment | 276 |
| Website | http://www.treetopsschool.org |
Treetops School is a special school in Grays, Essex, England. Students are from 3 to 19 with moderate learning difficulties. Many are on the autistic spectrum and may have speech and language problems.[1] Ofsted rated the school as outstanding in all categories, saying "Teaching is outstanding because teachers have exceptionally high expectations of what pupils can achieve and use practical activities to make learning interesting."[2]
School History
Treetops School started in 1960 at its old location in Dell Road, Grays. The school was called 'the Elms', and was originally a mansion. Next to it was The Dell, one of the earliest houses in Britain to be built with concrete. The Dell was owned by Alfred Russel Wallace, a Welsh explorer, naturalist, anthropologist, geographer, and biologist. Head of a building firm, Mr Walsham, built a home on part of the land and the original building was taken over by Essex Education Committee and housed 60 children. Mr Walsham named his house "The Elms," and so the Minister of Education allowed for the name of the school to be changed to “Treetops” in 1960. The school allowed 75 pupils, and most of the children were conveyed there by coach as very few lived within walking distance. There was also a caretaker who lived in a flat in the building. A separate building from the house was changed to allow for one large room or hall, suitable for P.E. or games. It was known as the Recreation Room. A new school had been promised within 1.5 years of the opening of Treetops. However, this didn't take place until 6.5 years. The new school was built in 2 main sections- the first section was behind the old building, where the school carried on functioning. Then, classes were transferred to the new section, and the old building was knocked down. By July 1968 the second section was completed. Treetops moved to its new site in Buxton Road in February 2008, after the school expressed interest for a better environment for autistic pupils and those with ADHD and speech, language, and communication difficulties.[3]
| Years | Headteacher |
|---|---|
| 1960-1963 | Mr. Edward Daynes |
| 1963-1974 | Mr. David Phillips |
| 1974-1975 | Mrs. Weddell |
| 1975-1988 | Mr. Hopper |
| 1988-1989 | Mr. M. Smith |
| 1989-1998 | Mr. Pardoe |
| 1998-2019 | Mr. Paul Smith |
| 2019-now | Mr. Jon Brewer |
Friends of Treetops Schools (FOTS)
Friends of Treetops School (FOTS) is the external support group for the school. The group is made of parents, staff and volunteers. FOTS raises money for extracurricular activities in order to further help the pupils. Specifically, it has raised money for the Sensory Garden (Phase 1), iPads for the Speech & Language and Art Departments, T-shirts for Dance Club, the annual Year 11 Leavers Prom and various educational trips.[4]
intu Lakeside's Charity of the Year 2017
On 30 March, as part of intu Lakeside adapting its services to become more autism friendly, Lakeside revealed Treetops School to be its charity partnership for 2017. Mayor of Thurrock, Cllr Cathy Kent, commented: “I am thrilled intu Lakeside has chosen Treetops School as its charity of the year. We are very proud of Treetops and its ‘outstanding in all categories’ Ofsted status. The school has high expectations for each child and uses practical activities to make learning interesting.”[5]