Shapwick School

Shapwick Senior School is a pioneering co-educational day and boarding school for children 13 to 16 years. As a CReSTeD category ‘SP’ School, Shapwick specialises in supporting boys and girls whose education has been adversely affected by dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia. To achieve this we have brought together a team of specialist teachers, speech & language therapists and occupational therapists who deliver to small classes (average size is 8) and individuals. Shapwick Senior and Sixth Form are genuinely co-educational: approximately 25 girls and 80 boys share in all social and academic activities, segregated only in housing.

A balanced programme within Year 9 ensures pupils experience all specialist subjects before selecting those to study at GCSE level. Most take seven or eight subjects, including English Language, Mathematics and Science. Choices are then made from an array of optional subjects.

As the country’s first, and one of the largest specialist schools for children with dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia, we boast over 35 years’ experience of understanding the challenges that the conditions present. We offer tailored support to help overcome individual weaknesses. We provide a balanced curriculum, sympathetic to the specific demands that dyslexia presents. Support is integrated, rather than just an add-on as commonly offered in many non-specialist schools, where pupils may visit a dedicated unit once a week but then have to struggle with a non-specialist curriculum for the remainder of the week.

Our pupils are bright and inquisitive but have difficulty with the mechanics of English and Maths, poor classroom skills, making independent working, copying from the board, concentrating and remembering instructions/data challenging. Despite our pupils’ difficulties they also have a range of strengths. We therefore strive to ensure they develop their talents, whether it be personal growth in, for example the Duke of Edinburgh Award, or academic success of which we are particularly proud. In 2008 75% of pupils achieved five or more GCSEs at grade C or above.