On Thursday 5^th November I was invited to Rosehill School in St Ann’s – a community special school for children from age 4 to 19 diagnosed with an autism spectrum learning disorder. It was great to have the chance to meet students and learn about the school’s new curriculum. Fenella Dowler, Cheryl Steele and all of the staff are involved in incredibly important work and doing what they can to enable students to be ready for independent living. The key challenge is now to get more support from the wider community to help students to access internships and work placements to ensure a smooth transition into adulthood. I was impressed with the tour I was given by some of the students themselves around the school’s outstanding facilities. With growing numbers and demand rising rapidly, Rosehill School is a key institution for the whole of the community and I believe by identifying the skills of their students in the longer term we can help build productive lives for these young people.

Chris Lesley (MP)