About Cotswold Chine School
Children come to Cotswold Chine School for a variety of reasons and from a range of backgrounds, but what they all share is a need for something different to mainstream education. A more caring, nurturing and therapeutic environment. Somewhere which adopts a more personalised and sensitive approach. A place where it’s fine to be different; where difference is something to be celebrated.
But more than anything they need a school that offers a sense of safety and stability. A safe place to live and learn. In other words, a place like Cotswold Chine School.
Cotswold Chine School was founded in 1954 as a residential special school for children with complex learning needs and associated social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Located on the edge of Minchinhampton Common in the heart of the beautiful Cotswolds, we are able to take up to 60 boys and girls between the ages of 7 and 19. As well as providing places for up to 18 day students, the school is registered as a children’s home providing care and accommodation for up to 42 children for 39-week through to 52-week placements.
Whilst the needs of the children and young people who come to Cotswold Chine School are often complex, our goal is very simple: to give each and every one the opportunity to thrive and achieve their full potential in life.
Children are happy and feel safe living at this home. They feel the staff really care about them and want the best for them
Ofsted – 2024
Catering for a range of complex needs
Our highly skilled team of specialist teachers, carers and therapists have a wealth of experience in dealing with a variety of developmental, relational, educational, care and therapeutic needs including:
- mild to severe learning difficulties
- relationship and attachment disorders
- complex and developmental trauma and other difficulties associated with childhood trauma such as hypervigilance and chronic hyperarousal
- global development delay
- mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, emotional/mental distress, social phobia and obsessive-compulsive disorder
- neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism spectrum disorder (including Asperger syndrome), sensory processing difficulties, ADHD, pathological demand avoidance, Tourette’s syndrome, speech and language difficulties, dyslexia, dyspraxia, oppositional defiant disorder and foetal alcohol syndrome.
An international reputation
As one of the few schools in the country to adopt a truly ‘trauma-informed’ and ‘trauma-responsive’ approach to care, therapy and education, Cotswold Chine School is internationally recognised for its expertise in helping young people to overcome trauma and other difficulties associated with adverse childhood experiences. Its reputation for being one of the most progressive and forward-thinking special schools in the country means that we welcome pupils from across the UK.
Your application of trauma-informed and trauma-responsive principles and interventions leads the way and has caught the attention of US providers and colleagues
Dr Janice LeBel, Director of Systems Transformation at MA Department of Mental Health
A Novalis Trust organisation
Cotswold Chine School is part of Novalis Trust, a Gloucestershire-based charity dedicated to the provision trauma-informed, attachment-focused and relationship-based care, therapy and education for children and adults.
The other organisations within Novalis Trust are William Morris School (an independent day and boarding school for children and young people) and Paradise House (a home for adults with learning disabilities).
As well as sharing the same ethos and values, all three organisations share management, administration, maintenance, training and other resources in order to ensure that consistently high standards are maintained across the charity.