Birchwood School

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.

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.

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.

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.'

Please see our list of policies opposite for Birchwood School. Click the name to view the updated policy.

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

lucy.pottinger@orbis-group.co.uk

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.

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

Proprietor:

Chief Executive Officer

Vision Court, Pentwyn Road, Cardiff, CF23 8HA

Tel: 029 2002 9922