Ormiston Latimer Academy, part of Ormiston Academies Trust, has officially opened Oak Wood, its new specialist primary alternative provision (AP) in North Kensington. Developed in close partnership with The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, the provision will support children whose needs cannot be met in mainstream settings, offering a structured environment designed to help pupils re-engage with education.
Co-located on the Avondale Park Primary School site, Oak Wood brings together purpose-designed learning spaces, specialist teaching expertise and embedded therapeutic support. The environment has been carefully designed to be sensory-friendly, welcoming and inclusive. Distinct learning zones provide flexibility for different types of activity and levels of regulation, while the overall layout supports calm, collaboration and a strong sense of belonging.
The delivery model at Oak Wood has been designed to be flexible, ambitious and highly personalised. Therapeutic input is embedded within the provision, including access to speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and educational psychology. This integrated approach ensures that pupils receive coordinated support to nurture both their academic and social, emotional needs. There is capacity for a total of 20 pupils to attend the provision at any given time.
The official opening event brought together school leaders, staff, local authority representatives and colleagues from Ormiston. Guests heard reflections from those who led the development of Oak Wood before taking part in a walkaround of the new learning environment and meeting members of the specialist team.
Oak Wood is currently operating under its temporary name. Subject to approval, it is intended that the provision will formally transition to Latimer Primary from September 2026 as part of planned Trust development in the area.
Grant Monaghan, Executive Principal of Ormiston Latimer Academy, said:
“The opening of Oak Wood reflects our commitment to delivering high-quality alternative provision that meets children’s needs at the earliest possible stage. By combining expert teaching, therapeutic input and a carefully designed environment, we can help pupils develop the skills, resilience and confidence they need to move forward successfully in their education. We are proud to be working alongside The Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea to deliver this much-needed support.
Councillor Catherine Faulks, Lead Member for Families and Children at The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, said:
“We are delighted to welcome this new specialist education provision to Kensington and Chelsea. Oak Wood will provide additional places for children whose needs cannot be fully met in mainstream settings, ensuring they can access the right support to thrive. With a highly personalised approach that brings together specialist teaching and therapeutic support to respond to children’s individual needs, this is an important addition to the range of provision available to children and families in our borough. We are pleased to have worked closely with Ormiston Academies Trust to bring this project to fruition.”