Image:
Courtenay Hitchcock
The Forum School (TFS) is tucked away in Shillingstone, near Blandford, and is both a school and a home for children and young people aged seven to 19 who are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Sitting behind big gates in the middle of the village, the interior is often unknown to locals, but the school combines specialist education on an adapted national curriculum with therapies for speech and language, behaviour and psychology. With 24 hour care, the pupils are also able to enjoy acres of land for play, as well as facilities such as a theatre, sports hall, indoor and outdoor riding areas, a climbing wall and a swimming pool. Headteacher Daniel Pitt says ‘This will be a year of celebration for us as we mark our silver anniversary – we want to really celebrate what it means to live and work at TFS. We plan to create a book of stories and news from students and staff, past and present. There will be many activities (during the warmer months!) and we will enjoy time for reflection of the past 25 years and look ahead to the next 50.
‘In addition, we are delighted to see the commencement of our extensive plans to improve the site. We have high aspirations, not just for our current students but also for those we’ll meet in the future.’
