Birchwood School
At Birchwood School, we believe that learning is most effective when it is tailored to the specific interests, strengths and aspirations of the child.
Our pupils thrive in small classes with support from a dedicated and creative team of education professionals and therapists. Education at Birchwood is engaging, motivating and above all, fun!
Our educational offering is split into two schools. The main school building now caters to pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs (SEMH needs), while the bottom floor of our residential building has been transformed into Woodland View, which focusses on supporting pupils with complex needs associated with Autism.
School Information
General
At Birchwood School, our creative and enthusiastic team of professionals supports and encourages children to make friends and be the very best that they can be every day!
We want children to create lasting memories of their childhood, to discover and enjoy and express their innate and natural abilities and to be active members of their community. With an emphasis on communication, independence and life skills, we know that when children form friendships, and can take care of themselves, their confidence grows as they develop into young people and adults.
At Birchwood School, our pupils are instrumental in making decisions about their school. A Student Council, Eco Committee, Children’s United Nations and Young Peoples’ Forums ensure that their voices are heard.
In addition, children engage in a pioneering work experience initiative working at The Orb: our bright, friendly work skills centre on the high street comprising of a shop, cafe, laundry, office and kitchen, where customers can browse the shelves or enjoy a cuppa, all prepared and served by our pupils. Our work experience programme was recently awarded the Careers Wales Quality Mark.
Needs Supported
5–19
Mixed Genders
Mission
Birchwood School provides bright and stimulating learning environments that embrace individuality, inspire confidence and encourage children to learn through having fun. By focussing on the child and their strengths, personality, abilities and aspirations, as well as their specific needs, our pupils grow into independent young people with confidence and a life that is both socially-valued and fulfilled.
We support children to be active members of the community, through a model of education and care that is underpinned by Positive Behaviour Support which ensures that positive behaviour and learning are celebrated, repeated and reinforced. As a result children associate coming to school with positivity and having fun.
We support pupils to develop skills that help them to progress both in education and in life, encouraging them to make positive choices and maintain their overall wellbeing.
Every child has an individual learning plan based on their level, ability and interests which is therefore stimulating, motivating and engaging. An experienced team of teaching specialists and therapists combine to nurture the child as a whole in a way that is consistent.
We also work closely with families, carers and professionals so that education is delivered with the pupil’s best interests at heart.
History
Birchwood School and Oakfield House are located in a former manor house surrounded by several acres of gardens.
The house was built in 1900 for the Cardiff shipping magnate J. Herbert Cory who named the site Coryton House. The land itself was part of the Llwyn Mallt Farm estate and was to form part of Coryton Garden Village, however the First World War intervened and this development did not take place.
In 1913 J. Herbert Cory became Sheriff of Glamorgan and in 1915 he became Conservative MP for Cardiff. He was knighted in 1919 and died in 1933 after which Lady Cory continued to live at Coryton House for several years.
During the Second World War Coryton House was used as the Civil Defence Headquarters for Cardiff.
In 1952 the house and grounds were eventually purchased from Lady Cory and it empty for a number of years.
The site was purchased by Orbis in 2006, opening its doors as Ty Coryton, with the first pupil arriving in April 2008. The residential home was built next door to the school on the same site, its six flats all named after J.Herbert Cory’s children.
In 2024, Ty Coryton's residential services was renamed to Oakfield House while the school became Birchwood School.
School Inspection Reports
Birchwood School is inspected by Estyn. In our 2 full education inspections the quality of education was rated GOOD. In our latest 2020 inspection, Estyn stated:
'Ty Coryton is a caring and inclusive school where, over time, pupils make suitable progress that is in line with their ability and personal targets.'
'Most pupils form trusting relationships with staff and become increasingly tolerant of others.'
'Teachers create positive and calming classroom routines that maximise learning.'
'The school has a well-planned approach for the progressive development of pupils’ skills and many pupils engage consistently well in their learning and respond enthusiastically.'
'Many pupils develop important independence skills such as self-care, handling money and food preparation.'
'Multi-disciplinary working is a significant strength of the school and is highly effective in meeting the needs of pupils.'
'Leaders have strengthened the aims and vision for the school and there are suitable improvement priorities that focus clearly on further developing the quality of provision for all pupils.'
Policies
Please see our list of policies opposite for Birchwood School. Click the name to view the updated policy.
Provision of Information
All pupils have individual education plans which reflect their needs and their statement / EHCP objectives. The plan ensures that learning is consistent for each child, building on their existing skills and with clearly stated learning objectives as they prepare for future pathways. These plans are shared with all stakeholders.
If pupils have additional language needs extra provision
is provided as required.
For information regarding the particulars to the right, please contact:
Chairperson of the Board of Governors:
Lucy Pottinger, Director of Education
The following information is available on request:
- The school's academic performance
- Number of staff employed at the school
(including temporary staff and a summary of their qualifications) - Any formal complaints received
- Education and welfare provision for pupils with statements, and for pupils for whom English or Welsh is an additional language.
Safeguarding Information
For specific safeguarding policies please see the policies section on this page.
Head of Education and Safeguarding Lead
Sarah Russell
Tel: 02920 544290
Email: sarah.russell@orbis-group.co.uk
Head of School and Deputy Safeguarding Officer
Danielle Coakley
Tel: 02920 544290
Email: Danielle.Coakley@orbis-group.co.uk
Assistant Head of Education
Morgan Seaton
Tel: 02920 544290
Email: Morgan.Seaton@Orbis-Group.co.uk
Contact
Proprietor:
Chief Executive Officer
Vision Court, Pentwyn Road, Cardiff, CF23 8HA
Tel: 029 2002 9922
Sarah Russell
Head of Education
Birchwood School
Orbis Education & Care
27 Pendwyallt Road
Cardiff
CF14 7EF
Email:
Telephone:
Parent Information
Curriculum
Pupils at Birchwood School follow a fun and engaging curriculum based on their individual skills, needs and interests.
This includes appropriate access to the Curriculum For Wales, as well as a wider curriculum of activities designed to progress learning and maintain good health and well-being.
Read More
School Uniform
The school provides all pupils with a school uniform free of charge. This includes 2 x polo shirts and 2 x sweatshirts.
We understand that some pupils have sensory needs relating to the fabrics they can wear, and we are always happy to adapt our uniform in a way to ensure every pupil’s comfort. This may include wearing t-shirts instead of polo shirts and zip up hoodies instead of jumpers for example. We want all of our pupils to love being part of Ty Coryton and we are happy to work together so that all children wear the uniform with a smile!
School Menu
We offer a varied and healthy range of mid-morning snacks and lunches. Each day our pupils have a choice of three delicious options for lunch, which change on a four-weekly basis.
We cater for vegetarians as well as dietary requirements relating to faith and other dietary needs.
View Sample Menu
Pupil Voice Groups
Pupil Forum
The Pupil Forum is a regular group-wide meeting that invites pupils from all of our schools to come together to make important decisions about their services. Not only is it a great way for children to meet children from other schools and make new friends, but it also ensures that our young people are given a voice and are heard.
Our aim is to promote confidence in children and for them to understand the value of their own voice and their opinions. We feel that our childrens' voices are as important as anyone else’s and the Pupil Forum helps them to gain confidence in communicating with their peers, and to understand the value in speaking up.
Action points that arise from Pupil Forum discussions are assigned to members of the management team to action, with their progress re-visited at subsequent meetings. This makes the management team accountable for changes requested directly by the pupils.
School Council
The School Council is made up of pupil representatives from each class. Each representative is chosen by their peers to represent the views of their class to ensure that the good things continue and that required improvements are voiced, heard and acted upon.
The School Council meets once every half term to discuss everything from school dinners to suggesting events and activities. Children communicate theirs and their peers’ opinions, and decisions are made around such things as garden design, resources and facilities. Children on the School Council are able to continue to develop their communication skills whilst representing and taking responsibility for the views of their class.
A suggestion box is also available at all times in school so that all pupils have the opportunity to communicate their ideas. The School Council always ensures that decisions are made, recorded and shared with the whole school.
Eco Club
Many of our pupils have a keen interest in the environment and the world around them and our Eco Clubs provide a haven for children who are keen to help the school run as efficiently and environmentally-friendly as possible.
In order to help our schools stay green there is a wide range of activities at Eco Club including recycling projects, monitoring the use of light switches and power points, working around the garden, learning about nature and the environment and more. Eco Club activities are suitable for any age group within the school, and are designed to make our learning environments safer, greener and more environmentally-friendly.
UN Childrens' Rights Respecting Award
Our schools work to be recognised as Rights Respecting places of learning.
Rights Respecting is a Unicef programme which campaigns to put children’s rights at the heart of their schools. The aim is to embed children’s rights into the school’s central ethos and culture, with the purpose of improving confidence, self-esteem, relationships and wellbeing, and developing every child’s abilities to their full potential. Children learn to know and understand their own rights in the world.
The UN Rights Respecting Award recognises the school’s achievement in putting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into practice within the school community and beyond. We are currently working through this to achieve the full award.
Orbis Gallery
Birchwood — School
