Specialist support for speech, language and communication difficulties and associated complex needs

Thank you for visiting the St Mary’s School and College website. We are a non-maintained special school based on the south coast of England in Bexhill, East Sussex and we currently cater for both residential and day pupils aged 7 to 19. Since 1922, it has been our mission to ensure that children with Speech, Language and Communication needs and additional special difficulties receive the integrated support they need to enable them to achieve their potential and take their place in the community. Many of our pupils have autism, PDA and a range of additional needs.

St Mary’s is a total communication environment. This means we utilise a range of approaches that enable our pupils to succeed in their development of their communication skills. All of our staff, including those in non-child facing roles, are trained in sign-supported English. Our signing team provide assistance for parents who wish to learn to sign in order that they can support their child in the home. In addition, we value and proactively invest in communication and learning technologies.

Our on-site and offsite residential houses offer a ‘homely’ and supportive environment for pupils to live and learn for up to 38 weeks a year. There is an emphasis on providing a normalised residential experience at the school and pupils given every opportunity to do things for themselves wherever possible.

In addition to supporting Speech, Language and Communication needs the school and college offers a personalised plan for each child to access a broad and balanced curriculum fully integrated with physiotherapy and occupational therapy, social, emotional and mental health support and opportunities to develop independence and life skills. Our facilities offer excellent opportunities to support individual needs and include a swimming pool, library, sports hall, Food Tech and Science rooms, physiotherapy and sensory integration facilities and therapy support rooms.

St Mary's School and College and St Mary's 19 + operate under the charity and company name of the Talking Trust.