Special school 'overrun with demand' as it opens

A SPECIAL school in Derby focused on the needs of autistic children has been “overrun with demand” ahead of its official opening.

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Aurora Ryefields School in Parker Street, near the Five Lamps pub, celebrated accepting its first intake of students yesterday, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony which was attended by MP for Derby North Catherine Atkinson.

The school, which takes in pupils aged five to 19, focuses on getting students back into a classroom, supporting those transitioning into specialist education and those who wish to return to mainstream schools, as well as working with other schools to help them accommodate the needs of autistic pupils.

The school is equipped with classrooms for a class size of five to eight students, labs, a kitchen, a music room, plus a room to calm down when students feel overwhelmed, and has a number of features to help children regulate themselves, such as air-conditioning and dimmable lights.