Orchard Academy is a mainstream primary school with resourced provision in Milton Keynes for children and young people aged 7 to 11. Its specialist base has 20 places for visual impairment, speech, language and communication and autism.
- Ages 7–11
- 294 pupils
- Ofsted: Good
School details
- Type
- Mainstream school with resourced provision
- Ages
- 7 to 11
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Specialist base
- Resourced provision, 20 places, 21 pupils
- Pupils
- 294
- Headteacher
- Mrs Zoe McIntyre (Head of School)
- Part of
- East Midlands Academy Trust
- Council
- Milton Keynes
- School reference (URN)
- 138605
Needs its base supports
4 needs: vision, speech and language and 2 more
As listed by the Department for Education, grouped the way EHC plans describe needs.
Communication and interaction
- Autism Other schools for this in Milton Keynes (15)
- Speech, language and communication Other schools for this in Milton Keynes (9)
Sensory and physical
- Visual impairment Other schools for this in Milton Keynes (3)
It also lists other needs. Ask the school what these are.
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision are usually for children with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask about the base
See the school and its specialist base, and ask how children split their time between the base and mainstream classes.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Milton Keynes council) that you want this school and its base, and ask them to consult it.
- Named in the plan
If the school is named in your child’s plan, it must admit your child. Places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school, so ask how they decide.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Rated Good, June 2014; school remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (July 2023)
Rated Good at its last graded inspection, in June 2014. That was some time ago, so read the latest report for the full picture.
- Leadership and managementGood
Since then: School remains Good (Concerns) - S5 Next (ungraded inspection, July 2023).
Contact and getting there
Springfield Boulevard, Springfield, Milton Keynes, MK6 3HW
Loading the map…
Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
Email me these details
The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Bridge Academy, All-through Alternative Provision Alternative provision · Ages 4–19 1.1 miles
- Southwood School Mainstream + base · Ages 7–11 · Ofsted: Good 1.1 miles
- St Paul's Catholic School Mainstream + base · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted: Good 1.2 miles
All SEND schools in Milton Keynes
By need in Milton Keynes: Autism (16) · Speech and language (10) · Moderate learning (5) · Vision (4) · SEMH (3) · Severe learning (3) · Dyslexia and SpLD (3) · Hearing (3) · Multi-sensory (2)
Questions about Orchard Academy
How do I get a place in Orchard Academy’s specialist base?
Places in an SEN unit or resourced provision usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult the school about its base. If the school is named in the plan it must admit your child; places in the base itself are agreed between the council and the school.
What needs does Orchard Academy support?
Visual impairment, speech, language and communication and autism. Every child is different, so ask the school how it would meet your child’s needs.
What ages does Orchard Academy take?
Aged 7 to 11, boys and girls.
What is Orchard Academy’s Ofsted rating?
Rated Good by Ofsted in July 2023 at its last graded inspection. Newer inspections no longer give a single overall grade, so read the latest report for the full picture.
Where is Orchard Academy?
Springfield Boulevard, Springfield, Milton Keynes, MK6 3HW, in Milton Keynes.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.