OHC&AT’s expert practitioners and partners regularly contribute to a range of articles and best practice pieces across specialist and education media. See below for some recent publications.
Opening of the Bedelsford Chaucer Centre, a satellite site of Bedelsford School and the Trust’s first site in Merton, is featured in the Merton Council magazine IN Merton on page 28-29.
Diane Brazier, Director of Estates and Facilities Management at the Trust, describes how SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) facilities require highly specialised environments, with accessible layouts, sensory spaces and carefully designed circulation, in this Architecture Today roundtable discussion and article Delivering Education Buildings in 2026 .
Leigh Edser, Principal of Dysart School writes in Ed Exec Magazine about the strategic benefits of co-locating a SEND provision on a mainstream site Case Study: Co-locating Specialist and Mainstream Schools | Edexec
A summary was also included in the magazine’s online version, EE DIGI WRAP 05.03.26 by Intelligent Media
Surveyors to Education case study: Creating a Vision for Vocational Excellence at St Philip’s School. In this case study the architects and company who managed the building of the Willow Vocational building outline, the vision, challenges and celebrate the finished project that is enhancing the educational experience for St Philip’s students.
Addington Valley Academy Principal discusses SEND outreach support In this article, John Reilly, Principal of Addington Valley Academy, highlights the school’s outreach SEND support for mainstream schools, helping to build inclusive practice and strengthen support for young people across the region.
TES 27th January 2026 How can special schools and mainstream schools work together? Featuring principal of Dysart School, Leigh Edser speaking about their third satellite site which opened in September on the site of Latchmere Primary School.
Natspec The Power of Specialist FE Education Video. Used throughout the Natspec week but will also open the AoC SEND Conference In January 2026.
Hillingdon People article in the January/February 2026 issue Building skills for a bright future. The article talks about internships, apprenticeships and Brunel University placements. The article shows the partnerships between DFN Project Search, Hillingdon Autistic Care and Support and Orchard Hill College. Read more on Page 21.
#SEND first class article in the December edition of FE Week – How ground-breaking partnership are rethinking SEND support. The Sutton Life Centre is one of several partnerships between colleges and external partners, where SEND learners are prepared not only to access education, but to build a future beyond it.
Quality of Life article in the November/December 2025 issue of SEN magazine – It’s easy for schools to be drawn into a medical model of support for students with PMLD, writes Principal Emmet Murphy, but we should be cautious with this approach, as it can limit the quality of experience for students, Instead, we can view their school experience from a quality-of-life point of view.
Chocolate Films SEND Schools Project – Pupils from Nightingale Community Academy feature in films commissioned by Wandsworth Council as part of the Mayor of London’s London Borough of Culture 2025 and premiered at the Liberty Festival, a celebration of disabled artistry. One of the video portraits features Year 11 pupil NoMo composing his own music and speaking about his gratitude towards his music teacher. Another NCA pupil Zac features alongside younger boys from Willow Class in another short film called How to be creative. You can view all the films via this link – Wandsworth SEND Schools Project
FE Week article – Craig Van-de-Velde, Deputy Head, Orchard Hill College provides insight into the question ‘Can building design uplift neurodivergent students?’ The article identifies key gaps in the government’s design guidance for SEND colleges, and proves that change is possible with thoughtful solutions. FE Week Aug 2025
ITV Meridian News – St Dominic’s School features in a new report highlighting the importance of play. Principal Vicky Perry explains how play is an important part of learning and pupils are shown enjoying play in the classroom and outside. ITN news item June 2025
SEN Magazine article – St Dominic’s School explain the benefits of their on-site Forest School and enthuse about powerful learning experiences in the great outdoors. SEN135 Mar/Apr 2025
Nasen Connect article – ‘Unlocking Emma’s Voice’, Carew Academy explain selective mutism and share how they helped one of their students find their voice. Nasen Connect Summer 2025
July 2024
Unified Academy share an insight into how boxing has improved the emotional resilience of their students, and the positive impact it is having across all aspects of their lives and learning in the features edition of Nasen Connect Magazine (pages 40 -42)
Boxing at Unified Academy Flip Book
Boxing at Unified Academy – PDF
May 2024
Dysart School’s approach to careers education in May 2024, Summer edition of Nasen Connect magazine
Dysart School’s approach to careers education
Pupils from Bedelsford School talk about their experiences of performing The Tempest as part of the Shakespeare for Schools Festival.
Hear the two post-16 pupils and Assistant Principal Jess Webb talk about their experiences at 2hrs 48mins into the programme:
November 2023
Andre Bailey Principal of Nightingale Community Academy on why School Food is vital and shouldn’t be a luxury
May 2023
A Guide to Best Practice in Special Education, Health and Social care by Dr Rona Tutt OBE and Paul Williams
The work done by Bedelsford School, Orchard Hill College and the Trust are recognised in this book in the form of Case Studies and an interview with Julia James.
To read more please click here
March 2023
SEN magazine The Educational and Therapeutic Impact of a School Farm Andre Bailey, Principal of Nightingale Community Academy
January 2023
Nasen Connect Magazine Pathological Demand Avoidance: The Link School’s Experience Sandy Turner, Executive Principal of The Link School
December 2022
TES Pathological demand avoidance: what teachers need to know Sandy Turner, Executive Principal of The Link School
November 2022
NAHT – Leadership Focus Providing Care in a Crisis John Reilly, Principal of Addington Valley Academy and Joe Shepherd Deputy Principal Addington Valley Academy
July 2022
SEN Magazine Positive Behaviour Support Jane Johnson, Head of Integrated Services.at Orchard Hill College
March 2022
SEN Magazine Making Shakespeare Accessible Bedelsford School featured in Francesco Ellis’ article.
October 2021
NASEN Connect Magazine Satellite model of education – Thinking differently at Dysart School, Leigh Edser, Principal of Dysart School.
September 2021
SEN Magazine Bringing emotional wellbeing into the classroom, Andre Bailey, Principal of Nightingale Community Academy is quoted in Donna Hill’s article.
Nursing Times We have been supported to move out of our comfort zone and challenge our assumptions, Dysart School and St Philip’s School featured in Theresa Nash-Patel, Hannah Scrivener and Sashane Dean’s article.
Teach Secondary Tackle those anxieties James Akerman, Head of ICT at Arbour Vale School.
August 2021
Autism Parenting Magazine Supporting parents of children with Autism and Pathological Demand Avoidance, Sandy Turner, Executive Principal of The Link Schools and Judy Turner, PDA and Outreach Teacher at The Link Primary School.
July 2021
Trust-journal.org.uk Preparing to meet the post-pandemic challenges head-on, John Prior, CEO, OHC&AT.
June 2021
Teachwire.net Why Mangahigh and other games are great for SEND pupils, James Akerman, Head of ICT at Arbour Vale School.
May 2021
Autism Parenting Magazine Being extraordinary for the extra ordinary, Sandy Turner, Executive Principal of The Link Schools and Judy Turner, PDA and Outreach Teacher at The Link Primary School.
April 2021
Autism Parenting Magazine Building emotional health in children with Pathological Demand
Avoidance, Sandy Turner, Executive Principal of The Link Schools and Judy Turner, PDA and Outreach Teacher at The Link Primary School.
March 2021
NASEN Connect Magazine Championing skills for SEND, Susan Barnes, Head of Apprenticeships, OHC&AT
The Key Wellbeing initiatives: what they look like in practice and how the board is involved, Dr Asha Patel, CEO and clinical psychologist of Innovating Minds (featuring Young People’s Academy)
January 2021
SEN Magazine Mental Health and wellbeing at our school, Laurie Cornwell, Executive Principal/Deputy CEO, OHC&AT
December 2020
Autism Parenting Magazine OCD and Autism: unpicking children’s behaviour in a dual diagnosis, Sandy Turner, Executive Principal of The Link Schools and Danielle Donnelly, Primary Class Teacher and Maths Co-ordinator at The Link Primary School
September 2020
Education Today The cost of caring – supporting the mental health of staff, Dr Asha Patel, CEO and clinical psychologist of Innovating Minds (featuring Young People’s Academy)
August 2020
MyEdupod.com EduPod becomes a part of the core safeguarding offer for Orchard Hill College & Academy Trust, OHC&AT
July 2020
InnovatingMindscic.com Youth endowment funding to support children impacted by domestic abuse, OHC&AT
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