NEWFIELD School is a large special school situated in Blackburn which caters for pupils aged two to 19 with complex learning difficulties and additional physical, sensory and emotional difficulties. We provide:

a welcoming, co-operative and supportive environment for pupils, parents and families

small classes and highly-qualified teaching and non-teaching staff

emphasis on individual teaching programmes, particularly language and communication, self-help and mobility, alongside National Curriculum subjects

input from school nurses, physiotherapists, speech therapists and occupational therapists

specialist facilities including a hydrotherapy pool, light stimulation, multi-sensory and soft-play areas, specialist teaching areas, excellent ICT facilities, a toy and leisure library, parents' room, outdoor play and garden areas and three minibuses.

Above all, we provide opportunities for our pupils to have fun while they learn.

HISTORY LESSON: Newfield School was opened in September 2000, following the closure of two former special schools, Blackamoor and Dame Evelyn Fox. Pupils, staff and parents, governors and the local education authority have worked very hard together to ensure the success of our new school.

The name Newfield School was chosen because the school is situated on the site of the former Newfield Farm which appears on old maps of the area.

NUMBER OF PUPILS: Newfield School has capacity for up to 169 pupils, and currently has 162 on roll. The school opened with 142 pupils in September 2000, but due to parental demand has very quickly increased to the current level.

WHERE DO THEY COME FROM: The main intake of pupils is from the Blackburn with Darwen area, but as a result of our excellent reputation pupils also attend who are resident in East Lancashire and Bolton.

STAR PUPILS: All our pupils are stars! They all work very hard to overcome the effects of severely disabling conditions -- their families, who provide magnificent support for their children and for our school, are also of star quality.

SOMETHING TO BRAG ABOUT: Our school has inclusion links with local nursery, primary and high schools, and with Blackburn College, enabling our pupils to have regular shared sessions with their mainstream peers, to the great benefit of both groups of pupils. We believe our inclusion programme is at the cutting edge of national innovative educational practice, and is a truly shining example of social inclusion at its best.

We have also just achieved the prestigious Investors in People.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITH A £100,000 WINDFALL: Improve our outdoor play facilities. We would also use it to support our excellent inclusion programme with mainstream schools which is under threat due to funding difficulties.