Langside School

Langside School is Diverse Abilities’ visionary school for pupils aged two to 19 with profound physical and learning disabilities, and complex medical needs, based in Dorset.

Our team provide a full sensory and therapeutic approach to meeting the needs of pupils and help them achieve their full potential, with nursing support in every class.

“Staff are united in their belief that all pupils who attend the school deserve a voice and to have some control over their lives. Whenever possible throughout the day, staff give pupils choices, showing them that they are valued and listened to. As a result, pupils are happy and secure in school and they make good progress.”
- Ofsted

Your children are at the centre of everything we do, with a team of specialists under one roof to provide a holistic and unique programme of care:

Teachers and learning support assistants
Nursing
Speech and language therapy
Occupational therapy
Physiotherapy
Orthopaedics plus paediatric
Dietician
Orthotics clinic
Hydrotherapy
Rebound therapy

Choosing the right school can be a daunting task and, like you, we want the best for your child.

How to access

Parents can express their preference for a place at Langside by contacting the school and their respective local authority. Children are currently placed by BCP and Dorset local authorities. All ‘new’ parents are invited to visit us with their children and spend time together in school with their new class and the school staff.

For those under the age of 2, we also have Baby Buddies and Caterpillar Club where you can find out more about what Langside School is about, as well as the wider offering from Diverse Abilities.

What to expect

We’ll work with you, alongside your child’s Education and Health Care Plans (EHCP) to provide a caring yet challenging environment, enabling all children to make progress towards their own goals. Each child has an individually tailored curriculum focusing on personalised approaches to learning.

Classes of six or seven are supported by a team that is lead by a qualified teacher and supported by a higher-level teaching assistant (HTLA), a therapy assistant, and two learning support assistants (LSA). Our occupational therapists, speech therapist, physiotherapists, and nurses, provide regular input into each class.

This ensures your child is motivated to build and extend their knowledge, skills and understanding; grow in confidence and develop independence; celebrate individual and group achievements; and prepare for the time when they leave school.

Click here to read our latest Ofsted report.

Our key learning areas are:

Communication
Cognitive skills
Physical development
Environmental control technology (ECT)
Personal, social, and emotional wellbeing (self-help and self-advocacy)

Working with our local community

We work in partnership with the local community offering children the choice to participate in extra-curricular activities wherever possible. Activities include singing and making music with a local care home, visiting farms and outdoor centres, and learning about and engaging with the outside world.

One of our partners is our next door neighbour, Colten Care’s Bourne View. We love to visit their residents to sing songs together, explore their garden, and even take part in their day to day activities.

Parent’s Group

As a Langside Parent, we understand the realities of your life, and are here to support you every step of the way – as are our other parents. We have a close community of parents who are always willing to help with advice and guidance from their own experiences.

We also have a closed Facebook group where parents can communicate with one another and the teaching staff, and we like to use it as a place where we can share pictures of your children so you can see what they’re getting up to!

“Langside is a centre of excellence for children. I couldn’t ask for a better place for my child to be. Every single member of staff shows remarkable empathy, cares for my child, and totally dedicates themselves to my child and the whole family.”
- a Langside parent

If you would like more information or to make an appointment to visit the school, please contact us. Our principal, Jon Seaward, is more than happy to discuss any questions you may have.