Thomas Wolsey Ormiston Academy (TWOA), has been nationally recognised for its exemplary Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award programme, which is tailored specifically for pupils with complex and sensory needs.
TWOA has been praised by a recent report from leading education and accessibility organisations including The Centre for Education and Youth and UK Youth for its pioneering work in helping all students to access life-changing experiences such as the DofE award.
The academy, a special school in Ipswich for pupils with highly complex physical and sensory needs, has been hailed as a case study for its inclusive education and the role of its educational partnerships in improving accessibility, quality, and impact of enrichment activities by adapting opportunities to meet the unique needs of its students.
With the support of Ormiston, the report details how TWOA has created a DofE programme that works best for its young people, ensuring they have access to the same opportunities as learners in mainstream schools. For example, the academy has built in unique activities which are designed to foster skills and confidence, such as having a sleepover away from home and managing a student-run tuck-shop to raise funds.
The report highlighted the immense benefit this has had in helping pupils to gain varied external experiences and boost their aspirations for the future, as part of their wider learning and development. In particular, the research also noted the “tangible positive outcomes” for the children’s families, with the academy’s unique programme building a new set of skills and experiences the learners can use in their next steps.
We are committed to ensuring all of our learners are able to develop the skills and confidence to lead a rich and rewarding life and to participate in wider society in genuine and meaningful ways.
Emily Webster and Helen Dickenson, Co-principals at TWOA
Mike Tibbits, Lead Practitioner for Enrichment at Ormiston Academies Trust said: “It is so excellent for Thomas Wolsey Ormiston Academy to be recognised by this report as a leader in creating accessible and meaningful opportunities for all young people. The incredible work being done at TWOA to ensure all learners have access to amazing experiences to develop life skills, confidence, and aspirations is so important in building accessibility and creating meaningful learning opportunities.
“The impact of this programme, and TWOA’s wider work, is huge for our students but also in helping to shape best practice for others to learn from and implement in their own settings. Continuing to shape this blueprint for inclusive education is at the forefront of our mission at Ormiston.”
Emily Webster and Helen Dickenson, Co-Principals at Thomas Wolsey Ormiston Academy, said: “We are so proud that TWOA, our amazing children, and exceptional colleagues have been recognised through this report. We are committed to ensuring all of our learners are able to develop the skills and confidence to lead a rich and rewarding life and to participate in wider society in genuine and meaningful ways – the immense amount of hard work and passion that has gone into creating this unique DofE programme is a clear example of this.
“Moving forward, we are excited to continue building on this success to introduce further tailored enrichment activities across all year groups, and working alongside our whole school community to create these incredibly important opportunities for all.”