Richmond Hill School 

Richmond Hill School is a specialist primary school dedicated to supporting children with severe and complex learning difficulties, including a significant number who are on the autism spectrum. We provide a nurturing and inclusive environment tailored to meet the diverse needs of our pupils, all of whom have an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan.

Our provision is delivered across two well-resourced sites:

Richmond Hill West, located on Sunridge Avenue

Richmond Hill East, situated on Crawley Green Road

Currently, the school supports 280 pupils, who are organised into 35 classes based on their age and developmental stage. Of these, 18 classes are located at our East site on Crawley Green Road, while the remaining 17 classes are based at our West site on Sunridge Avenue.

All of our pupils experience significant communication difficulties and require highly individualised approaches to support language development. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) strategies are embedded throughout the school to facilitate expressive and receptive language skills.

To support individual growth, learners are grouped into three broad categories of learning need. Curriculum pedagogy and learning styles are adapted to reflect the distinct needs of each group, promoting engagement, independence, and personal achievement 

Pre-formal: Learners requiring significant sensory, physical, and communication support. Learning is primarily experiential and sensory-based.

Informal: Learners who benefit from structured guidance and scaffolded learning experiences, focusing on building foundational skills.

Semi-formal : Learners who engage in more abstract, subject specific, independent, and critical learning activities, preparing for further education or employment.

SEMH pathways- Pupils unable to access the SLD curriculum (Pre-formal to Formal) follow individualised programs tailored to their interests, with a strong emphasis on regulation, PSHE, and communication skills. Support is provided through high staff ratios and input from external professionals, including Educational Psychologists, CAMHS, and the ASD team.