We are looking forward to sharing the achievements of our pupils, students and staff over the next year as we continue to work together to transform the lives of children and young people with SEND. Wishing our whole community all good things for 2026 💫 ❤️ #2026 #sendeducationuk

✨ Behind the final door of our advent calendar is the winning Christmas Card entry in this year's competition. 🥇 'Christmas Eve' was created by a pupil at The Link School in Sutton and caught Louise, our judge's eye for the story telling in the picture. 🎄Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas 🎁

🎅 Roosting Robins can be found tweeting behind door 21 ❄️ Judge Louise commended the design saying, "The Roosting robins are eye-catching against the blue background and the icy branches add dimension and texture.  The snowflakes are well-placed, making good use of the space."🌟 #ArbourValeSchool

🎄 Behind door number 22 is a lovely textured and eye-catching colourful Christmas tree 🎁 The Christmas Tree was a collaborative entry from three pupils at Dysart School's newly opened satellite site Discovery House in Kingston.✨ #DysartSchool #ChristmasTree #InclusiveArt #AdventCalendar

🌟 Behind door 21 is one of the runners-up in the competition, Archangel 😇 Our independent judge liked the simplicity of the design, "The Angel is so vibrant, bringing the spirit of the message of Christmas in a simple and effective way, that has such heavenly impact." 🎇 #ArbourValeSchool #Xmas

✨ A reindeer in silhouette is on watch behind today's Advent calendar door.🦌 It was drawn by a student at Carew Academy with a message or a wish to all "Merry ChrisMax" Here's wishing everyone a ChrisMax this year! 🎄 #CarewAcademy #MerryChrisMax #AdventCalendar

✨ An Angel from Arbour Vale School is shimmering behind door number 19 👼 This delightful angel with leaf-thin wings was created using collage and glitter by a student at Arbour Vale School. Specialist teachers help the students to express themselves creatively. 🔔 #ArbourValeSchool #Slough #SENDArt

✨ Three jolly snow men are hidden behind Door number 18 of our Advent Calendar☃️☃️☃️ This Christmas card was designed by a pupil at Addington Valley Academy, a special Free School in Croydon for children and young people with autism and learning difficulties.💚 #AddingtonValleyAcademy #JollySnowmen

🎅 Door 17 opens onto a jolly Christmas penguin that was drawn by a student at Unified Academy, a special school in Dorking. The school delivers a highly personalised approach to education with small class sizes and learning that is purposeful and engaging. 🐧 #UnifiedAcademy #ChristmasPenguin

⚽ St Philip’s School in Chessington was delighted to be named an Equal Access School 2025 by the Football Association in recognition of the opportunities and equal access they provide for girls in football. The award recognises and celebrates the school’s commitment to equity in girls’ football ⚽

🎄 There's a sensory treat of a Christmas tree covered in glitter and pom poms behind door number 16🎅 It was designed by a pupil at The Link School in Sutton, for students with Speech, Language and Communication difficulties including autistic spectrum conditions and Pathological Demand Avoidance ✨

🪩 Baubles cleverly arranged so there is no need for a tree in the Christmas Card behind door number 15 of our advent calendar. 🎄 We are incredibly grateful to our independent judge, Louise Pasquill, who has the daunting task of picking a winner from the hundreds of entries we receive.🎅 #SENDArt

🎄 Behind Door 14 is a mischievous elf and you can't help but wonder what's behind the cheeky wink. ⛄ Only the artist a student at Carew Academy knows the answer and they've taken so much care with their drawing that you can't help being drawn into the scene. 😉 #CarewAcademy #ChristmasElf

🎅 Merry Christmas says the card behind Door 13. 🎁 This was just one of the 100s of entries to our Christmas card competition this year from schools and college centres across the Trust. 💫 #BrantridgeSchool #Christmas2025 #AdventCalendar

🎄 A Christmas Tree to rock around is behind door number 12 of our Advent Calendar 🎅 It was created by a student at Arbour Vale School in Slough. We love how this student has taken a basic Christmas Tree design and added heart-shaped baubles and glitter to add that extra bit of sparkle 💫 #Xmas2025

🎄 Colouring and collage make up this Christmas scene by a student at Addington Valley Academy ✨ Addington Valley Academy opened in 2020 and the school's vision is To redefine what's possible for every Autistic child through leading practices, partnerships and heart.☃️ #WhereSpecialHappens

🎄A festive pup is hiding behind door number 10 today 🐶 It was carefully sketched by one of the pupils from Unified Academy in Dorking and may have been inspired by the school's therapy dogs who work with the students all year round.🎅 #UnifiedAcademy #TherapyDogs #CanineAssistedLearning

🎄This stunning image was drawn by a student at St Philip's School in Chessington. The golden background gives it some Christmas sparkle. 💫 It is just one of the hundreds of eye-catching designs submitted to our annual Christmas card competition. #StPhilipsSchool #AdventCalendar2025 #ChristmasArt

Read this insightful article about the newly opened Sutton Life Centre and how its groundbreaking partnership model is rethinking SEND support in the local area.

With EHCP demand rising, tribunals increasing and councils facing unsustainable deficits, we look at the specialist colleges forming partnerships in their communities that could provide part of the solution to the SEND crisis @natspec.bsky.social @ohcandat.bsky.social feweek.co.uk/send-first-c...

🎄Behind Door number 8 is a snow flake pattern in festive green and red colours with a generous sprinkling of glitter to leave no-one in any doubt that this is a Christmas card! ❄️ Well done to the artist from Nightingale Community Academy for making their design standout.🦌 #SchoolArt #ChristmasCard

🎅 Double Delight for Day 7 ☃️ There are two Christmas Card landscapes behind Door number 7 today. Both were created by talented students from The Link School in Sutton and both are equally stunning, showcasing the school's talented young artists 🎨 #TheLinkSchool #SENDart #SleighRide #SnowyScenes

😄Happy Christmas Feet ☃️ Our Advent Calendar of delights continues with these delightful footprints from a pupil at Dysart School for Day 6. Dysart School caters for 180 pupils aged 4 to 19 who have a range of severe and complex learning difficulties across four sites in Surbiton and Kingston.🎄

WorkStart student Freya spoke to students at London Southbank University about her experience of using AAC devices. She told them, “It is harder to joke using the AAC, because people assume I do not have a personality.” @Natpec #SpecialistFEWorksforMe

🎄 Behind Door 5 of our advent calendar is a beautifully drawn Christmas tree from a student at Carew Academy in Wallington 💫 It is just one of the shortlisted entries into the Trust's annual Christmas Card competition which is judged by artist & designer, Louise Pasquill #SEND #Christmas2025

✨ Door 4 of our Advent Calendar opens to reveal this jolly reindeer with the biggest red nose 🔔 One of the pupils at the school used a brown hand print to create Rudolf and added googly eyes, antlers and a red nose to leave us in no doubt who they are hoping will pay a visit on Christmas Eve. 🎅

☃️ Behind door number three are some jolly holly footprints 👣 These were painted by a pupil at Bedelsford School in Kingston, an outstanding special school that provides innovative education and a supportive environment for pupils aged 2 to 19🎄 #BedelsfordSchool #SensoryArt #SEND #Day3

🎅 Who's peeping out from behind the Day 2 door of the OHC&AT Advent Calendar? This jolly reindeer was created by a pupil at Arbour Vale School in Slough. We love all the different materials that have been used in creating this card: paint, collage, pom pom and of course a sprinkling of glitter✨

Our students are heading to the Houses of Parliament today to talk to MPs to advocate for a better future. They will be interviewing MPs for their student-led podcast Westminster Unfiltered which dives into political issues and asks tough questions. #ThePowerofSpecialistFE #SpecialistFEWorksForMe

🎄It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas here at OHC&AT 🎅 Massive thank you to all the pupils and students from across the schools in the Trust who entered our annual Christmas Card competition. Hiding behind Day one is a Christmas star print from one of the students Addington Valley Academy.

✨ Wallington Festival & Christmas Shopping Event🎄 We’re thrilled to be hosting a Christmas Shopping Event at the Old Town Hall, Woodcote Road, Wallington, SM6 0NB this afternoon. Expect a magical evening filled with: 🎅 Santa’s Grotto 🎵 Live music 🛍️ A fantastic variety of stalls See you there ✨

🎅 Nightingale Community Academy pupils meet their favourite author 📚 Year 6 pupils in Maple Class were excited to attend the launch of @DWalliams brand-new Christmas book, Santa & Son. They were all absolutely buzzing to meet the author of their all-time favourite stories including Gangsta Granny.

🎉Sutton Life Centre is now officially open 💫 Former Carew Academy student Veirra wowed the room with an original rap performance that absolutely raised the roof! Sutton Life Centre is more than a building, it’s a safe, welcoming space where young people can learn, grow and thrive.

💫 We unlock education and celebrate the achievements of every learner throughout their time at College As we look forward to celebrating the #PowerofSpecialistFEWeek next week, here are some of our amazing students celebrating their achievements earlier this year. #SpecialistFEWorksForMe

Carew Academy loved hosting their very first event as part of the Discovery Programme with the Children’s Book Project, a wonderful literacy charity dedicated to ensuring every child has books of their own. #ChildrensBookProject #DiscoveryProgramme #ReadingForJoy #LiteracyMatters #SchoolLibrary

Specialist Further Education transforms lives 🚀 Last week our Kingston Supported Interns attended the Access for All Carers fair organised by @AfCKingston @TAGYouthClub The interns took part in a reverse careers fair and helped at the event. #ThePowerofSpecialistFE #SpecialistFEWorksForMe

Orchard Hill College is delighted to be taking part in #ThePowerofSpecialistFE awareness week coming up at the beginning of December. Specialist FE unlocks education, transforms lives and creates lasting impact. We’re looking forward to sharing our stories over the coming weeks.

🧦 Students and staff at Nightingale Community Academy joined thousands across the country in celebrating Odd Socks Day today. Odd Socks Day is a fun and colourful event that kicks off Anti-Bullying Week. #OddSocksDay #antibullyingweek #PowerforGood #NightingaleCommunityAcademy

Big thanks to volunteers from Knight Harwood who recently spent a day volunteering at St Philip's. The volunteers helped to enhance the school's Nut Walk area, one of the engaging spaces that enhance the pupils' educational experience. #StPhilipsSchool #Volunteering #GiftinKind

🎃 A huge thank you to Weald Insurance! 🧁 We’re incredibly grateful to the team at Weald Insurance for hosting a fantastic Halloween fancy dress and bake sale last week in support of Brantridge School. The event raised over £400 and they’re so appreciative of the support and community spirit.

Earlier this month the Governance Conference, offered a valuable opportunity to reflect on the shared purpose of the College and Trust, strengthen connections, and explore how governance continues to drive positive outcomes for learners across the Trust. www.ohcat.org/governance/

Nightingale Community Academy is a much brighter working environment thanks to a massive refurbishment programme over the summer holiday. At a special assembly pupils thanked the Estates and Facilities Team from the Trust for all their hard work in making their school feel brand new. #NCA #SEND

We are delighted to be shortlisted at the Education Estates Awards in the Client of the Year category for the work we have done in tailor designing buildings to meet the needs of our students and create inclusive communities. #OHCAT #EducationEstates #SENDEducation

A big thank you to everyone for attending the Governance Conference 2025. What an amazing turnout and a fantastic opportunity to connect, reflect and share insights. We look forward to another year of Governance - Leading with Integrity #OHCAT #OrchardHillCollege #Governance #SENDEducation

Delegates at today’s Governance Conference heard an update on the Trust’s vision and strategy from the CEO, John Prior. There was also an update on safeguarding from Jacqueline Van-West, Director of Safeguarding. #OHCAT #OrchardHillCollege #Governance #LeadingWithIntegrity

We are delighted to welcome Governors, Staff, Trustees and Members to our Governance conference today in central London. Thank you to everyone for attending and taking the time to connect, share and reflect on our Governance mission of Leading with Integrity. #OHCAT #OrchardHillCollege #Governance

This World Mental Health Day 2025 we would like to take a minute to remind everyone about our Mental Health Hub, our 'one stop shop' for mental health support and wellbeing. www.ohcat.org/mental-healt... #OHCAT #OrchardHillCollege #mentalhealth #worldmentalhealthday

Welcome to Unified Castle 🏰 Students at Unified Academy are loving the new outdoor play equipment that has been installed this term. The castle climbing frame offers plenty of opportunities to build agility, balance, and confidence, all while having loads of fun. #UnifiedAcademy #SEND #OutdoorPlay

St Philip's School continues to explore ways of integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the curriculum through an international exchange programme. The school hosted a group of teachers from South Korea and together they delivered a lesson using AI to Year 11 pupils. #StPhilipsSchool #SEND

Dysart Discovery House opened its doors at the beginning of the term and families are beginning to feel at home. “Discovery is quickly becoming a community where pupils thrive, staff feel supported, and inclusion shines," said Ellie Woods, Head of Centre. #DysartSchool #SEND #Kingston