Birch Wood (Melton Area Special School)

An Education at Birch Wood ENABLES choices within communities

About Us

Birch Wood is a vibrant and forward‑thinking all‑through special school (4–19), comprising Birch Wood Grange Drive, Birch Wood Vale, our specialist Ashton House ASD provision, and our growing Birch Wood College Post‑16. Our ENABLES ethos sits at the heart of everything we do:

E – Empowering students for independent lives
N – Nurture
A – Aspire and Achieve
B – Belonging
L – Love of learning grows
E – Engage and interact
S – Safe and happy  

Across all sites, we provide a highly specialised, well‑resourced and nurturing learning environment where pupils are supported by skilled staff, small class groups, in‑house therapists, and a rich range of additional interventions including Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Music Therapy, Rebound Therapy and counselling services.

Our school community is proud, ambitious and outward‑looking, serving Melton Mowbray and the surrounding Leicestershire area with a relentless focus on personalised success and preparing young people for adulthood.

What It’s Like to Be Part of Birch Wood

Our most recent Ofsted (April 2024) highlighted many strengths:

• Pupils behave exceptionally well and show consistently positive attitudes to learning.
• They feel valued as individuals within a kind, caring and aspirational environment.
• Staff prepare pupils exceptionally well for adulthood, nurturing communication skills, independence and decision‑making from the moment they join us.
• The curriculum is broad, ambitious, and leads to excellent outcomes, including strong transitions to meaningful post‑16 pathways, training and employment.
• Reading is prioritised, and pupils develop strong foundations through well‑designed phonics and communication programmes.
• Staff know pupils deeply, use assessment skilfully, and support wellbeing with vigilance and compassion.  

Working at Birch Wood

Joining Birch Wood means becoming part of a warm, committed and highly collaborative community where staff are supported to thrive professionally and personally.

Why Work With Us?

• A caring, nurturing and ambitious culture with no limits placed on pupil potential.  
• Small class sizes, strong staffing ratios, and a multi‑disciplinary approach.
• Access to in-house specialists and a wide range of therapies.
• High‑quality professional development and opportunities across all phases (4–19).
• A creative and outward‑looking school that works closely with families, external agencies and its local community.

Life in Leicestershire

Located in the heart of England, Melton Mowbray offers the balance of beautiful countryside, historic market towns, and easy access to vibrant city life. With strong transport links, local heritage attractions, and a rich sense of community, it’s a wonderful place to live and work.