ISABELLA Pereira, 12, is in Year 7. She said: “I really enjoy ICT and we recently build a bug hotel at the school which was fun. We go on trips and we went to a care home to sing. Today we are going to a Variety Club party at a hotel in Bournemouth.”

JAGE parker-Smith, 12 is in Year 8. He said: “I like computers and I think this is a really good school to go to. I like all my lessons and last year at the party we had lots of cool food and played games.”

SARA Layden’s eight-year-old daughter, Ellie-May, has been at Winchelsea for four years. Sara said: “This school is amazing. When Ellie-May first came we were at crisis point and this school helped us turn our lives around. She loves it here.”

JANE Bearne has an 11-year-old daughter at the school. She said: “It is a fantastic school and the care is second to none. She has severe epilepsy and has had a tough time but the staff here are fantastic with her.”

LEAD teaching assistant Kirstyn Knight said: “The children here all get a lot of support and the school has a community feel about it. They stay here from four to 16 so we can see them go all the way through and flourish.”

PHASE leader Andy Henery said: “We want our children to develop life skills – the outlook for young people with disabilities can be very limiting.”