Guildford MP Anne MiIlton visits Gosden House School

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Guildford MP Anne Milton with Gosden House pupils

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Guildford MP Anne Milton with Gosden House pupils

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Guildford MP Anne Milton with Gosden House pupils

Photo credit: Eagle Radio

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Guilldford MP Anne Milton visits Gosden House School

Amidst fears Surrey County Council will close special needs school Gosden House, Guildford MP Anne Milton pledges her support to parents and pupils. Emily Davis reports

Last Friday saw Anne Milton MP pay a visit to Gosden House School in Bramley.

Following an announcement from Surrey County Council that it will be reorganising the county’s special needs provision, the school now faces possible closure.

Council members are proposing that Gosden, which currently caters for children with complex special needs aged 5-16, should become a secondary school for high functioning autistic 11-16 year olds. Parents of current pupils feel that the consequences of such action have not been considered “in the rush to save money.”

The MP for Guildford cycled in on her bicycle to meet pupils and show her support to Gosden’s Parent Action Group, who have been desperately campaigning to save the school.

“I’ve known Gosden for about 12 years now” said Mrs Milton. “You just need to walk through the door and you can feel this amazingly positive atmosphere. It’s a special school, with special staff and special parents. It would be a tragedy if we lost that.”

As February came to a close, Surrey County Council put on hold its plans for a meeting that would most likely have seen Gosden’s pupil intake and function drastically changed. “As far as we’re concerned, the more time the better,” commented parent Philippa Browning. “It seems the Council has started to recognise that we are a force, and we are worth talking to.”

Mrs Milton described the move as a “small but significant victory.”

“I would hope I do have some power to influence the school’s outcome,” she said. “I want everybody who’s going to make this decision to come along to a meeting with no preconceived ideas and just work out what works. This isn’t something that you can do on a piece of paper.”

There has also been talk of combining the current facility with the proposed school for high functioning 11-16 year olds with autism. But while Mrs Milton commented that developing the site could be a way of “building on something that is already very good,” parents remain unconvinced.

They are worried such a plan could put their own children at risk if separation of the two pupil groups was not properly managed.

“Integration would be very difficult,” said parent Laura Sabharwal. “Our kids are quite vulnerable; a lot of them have physical needs and are unsteady on their feet. To have older kids who are effectively mainstream in terms of their physical needs running around would be tricky.”

Another problematic factor would be the introduction on boys. While Gosden is currently co-educational until the age of 11, it is unique in that its senior school is all-girls.

“This is rare, as special needs schools tend to be very boy dominated” said Mrs Sabhawal. “Young teenage girls who are going through puberty need to have same-sex peers they can chat to, which is something they won’t get anywhere else, where there are usually only one or two girls per class.”

Currently, the senior girls also play a crucial pastoral role in looking after the younger girls. There is concern this relationship would be lost with the introduction of a mixed senior school.

“We have to play nicely with the younger children,” 13-year-old pupil Annabel tells me. “At lunch time we bring the plates to our tables and at break time we play It.”

“Sometimes when I cry the senior girls take care of me,” said 7-year-old Sophie.

It has also been suggested that current pupils could be filtered into mainstream education, as long as they were given one-to-one help. But parent Jennifer MacKay believes this would be a bad move.

“We tried to believe that it would be alright, and that my daughter would be able to stay at a normal school,” she said. “But since coming here she has grown in confidence, and she feels that she is worth something – she’s not just the rubbish child in the corner. I know she will have to go out into the real world eventually, but now at least when she does she will be thinking ‘I’m somebody, I can do something.' I wouldn’t have her go back into mainstream education.”

"Gosden is totally unique in so many ways," added Laura Sabhawal. "How can there even be a proposal to lose something that is so outstanding?"

Click here to sign the petition to save Gosden House

Comments (4)

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Gosden House School

Since my daughter has attended Gosden House, she has changed quite a lot, from being an introvert to extrovert, teaching her life skills and how to adapt to life as an adult. Not only are the children taught academic subjects but how to look after themselves and others. This school is outstanding , one of a kind and to think of changing this I believe will be a great loss to the education system not only in Surrey but the whole country. To think of putting these children into mainstream schools even with one to one help does not work now so why do the education board think it will work in the future. The teachers and other staff at the school are exceptional both in their understanding of the childrens complex needs to caring for their emotional needs as well. Children that attend this school all leave with a more positive attitude to the world in general and most go on to lead fulfillinf lives. Not only does Gosden House need to be saved but others should be developed along the same lines. Long Live Gosden House School.

Lynn Bodsworth more than 10 years ago

Gosden House School

My daughter has attended this unique school for the last 4 years and she has really flourished in this time. She is a confident child and her personality has been encouraged whlilst at Gosden however if she was placed in another enviroment we would be very worried that this would be squashed. When you have learning difficultes the tiny little successes are encouraged & celebrated. Gosden meets her every need. Her education is going to be challenging so to remove this school would be devastating. The ethos of this school is fantastic and you can see this everyday.

Simone Brinkworth more than 10 years ago

Gosden- a VERY special school

My child needs the specialist care that only Gosden offers. She is in year 7 and has struggled in mainstream with a 1:1 helper until year 6.
When other children were learning about canals and industry she was colouring in a squiggly line and sticking on pictures of ducks! That is just not good enough. At Gosden she has learnt so much, everything about her has changed and blossomed.
At Gosden she has the chance to be in a girls only senior school where there is very carefully though out help and support with all the issues adolescence and puberty brings. She is learning skills for coping in the real world alongside academics. Now imagine that need within a mainstream school or with autistic boys in the mix, it hasn't worked before, why will it be ok now?
Gosden needs to be kept as it is, ofsted think it's outstanding, we parents think its incredible, our children love it! Please help us preserve this very special school.

Petrina Foster more than 10 years ago

Gosden House School

Gosden House School is such a wonderful unique special needs school. My daughter has attended since September 2013, the little changes in her are truly amazing. She has complex needs and Gosden meet her needs in every way possible. It is such an important place for our daughter Lily-Rose. For the first time she has friends and is not judged by her peers. The school has a very strong family feel. My husband and I recently praised the school in our daughter's annual review at just how fantastic they were. The senior girls of the school in particular having a very caring and understanding way with the younger children of the school. Lily-Rose has already built relationships with older pupils on her transport bus, and as girls are in the minority of children with SEN this is of the upmost importance. To take this away would be truly devasting. A child like Lily-Rose cannot simply survive in a main stream school or a specialist unit. For many parents it is a constant up hill battle which never ends, just knowing that your child has the right provision is key. Gosden House School must be saved.

Rowena J Moore more than 10 years ago