New autism specialist is appointed at Melton's Birch Wood Special School as it looks to further improve provision

Amy Dunstan’s role includes working with students and quality assessing the school’s autism provision, said its new headteacher Rosalind Hopkins.

Mrs Hopkins said the school will also soon be appointing a family school link worker whose role will help strengthen the relationship between parents and the school by providing support and being a point of contact for parents, helping them to find information.

Mrs Hopkins said she also wanted to ‘thank the local community for all of their support over the summer.’

Staff from Asda and Mars have helped with some painting at the school, Mars has also donated £500 towards the school’s new mud kitchen and other projects and the Blakemore Foundation has donated £300 towards the mud kitchen and Birch Wood’s sensory garden. Thanks also go to BT for donating manpower to help create the sensory garden and others who have given help.