Schools with autism provision in Central Bedfordshire

Autism units and resourced provisions give autistic pupils a base with specialist staff while they join mainstream classes for as much as suits them. Central Bedfordshire has 8 mainstream schools with a unit or resourced provision for autism and 2 special schools that cater for it.

Mainstream schools with a unit or resourced provision (8)

Pupils have a specialist base and staff inside an ordinary school. Places are separate from the school's main admissions and normally need an EHC plan.

School	Provision	Ages	Town	Places	Ofsted	Score
Arnold AcademyMiddle school	Resourced provision	9-13	Bedford	10	Good 2023	52
Brooklands Middle SchoolMiddle school	SEN unit	9-13	Leighton Buzzard	9	Good 2023	69
Ramsey Manor Lower SchoolPrimary school	Resourced provision	4-9	Bedford	6	No overall grade 2024	88
St Swithun's Church of England VC Primary SchoolPrimary school	Resourced provision	3-11	Sandy	8	Good 2022	16
The Rushmere Park AcademyPrimary school	Resourced provision	2-9	Leighton Buzzard	10	Report card 2026	9
Manshead Church of England AcademySecondary school	SEN unit	11-19	Luton	11	Report card 2026	12
Samuel Whitbread AcademySecondary school	Resourced provision	13-18	Shefford	–	Good 2023	41
Stratton SchoolSecondary school	Resourced provision	11-18	Biggleswade	16	No overall grade 2025	23

Special schools (2)

Special schools take pupils with an education, health and care plan; the council names the school in the plan. Many cater for several needs.

School	Provision	Ages	Town	Places	Ofsted	Score
Ivel Valley School & CollegeSpecial school · also hearing impairment, moderate learning difficulties, multi-sensory impairment, other needs and more	Special school	3-19	Biggleswade	261 pupils	Good 2023	–
The Chiltern SchoolSpecial school · also multi-sensory impairment, physical disability, profound and multiple learning difficulties, speech, language and communication and more	Special school	3-19	Dunstable	369 pupils	Good 2023	–

Mainstream schools listed for this need (1)

Registered for this need without a separate unit, so provision is within ordinary classes.

School	Provision	Ages	Town	Places	Ofsted	Score
Biggleswade AcademyPrimary school	Mainstream, listed for this need	2-11	Biggleswade	–	Good 2024	47

Other councils All schools in Central Bedfordshire

Other needs

Speech, language and communication Social, emotional and mental health Moderate learning difficulties Severe learning difficulties Profound and multiple learning difficulties Hearing impairment Visual impairment Multi-sensory impairment Physical disability Specific learning difficulties Other needs

How to read this

The list comes from the Department for Education's register of schools (Get Information about Schools), which records the type of SEN provision each school has and how many pupils are in a resourced provision or SEN unit. Resourced provision means extra staff and funding for a group of pupils who spend most of their time in ordinary classes. A SEN unit is a separate class within the school. Both need a place agreed by the council through an education, health and care plan; ask the council's SEND team, not the school's admissions office. The register is only as good as what schools report, so check with the school before relying on it.