A SCHOOL for children who are so severely disabled they cannot be cared for in state schools is bidding for specialist status.

Penhurst School, in Chipping Norton, provides education and residential care for youngsters with profound and multiple learning disabilities from all over the country.

Now the school, which has 25 pupils, three of whom are from Oxfordshire, is hoping to build on its experience of working with children who use signs, symbols and nods to talk to their teachers to become a specialist school in communication and interaction.

Head of education Derek Lyseight-Jones said: “The school, its children and young people would benefit because we would be able to re-equip classrooms with equipment in technologies which move on very quickly, which would give an enormous boost.

“In terms of the community, we would be aiming to break down that kind of barrier people have in relation to children with disabilities, taking our children into local schools and having people come and work with us.

“The school has always been a very big part of Chipping Norton and the community has always been very supportive of the school, the children and the work we do.”

The school has to raise £20,000 and identify five community partners, which could include places such as East Oxford children’s hospice Helen & Douglas House, and five partner schools.

It must also prove how it will use specialist skills to benefit the wider community.

If successful, the organisation will be given £100,000 to spend on the school plus £180,000 over three years to develop its partnerships.

Mr Lyseight-Jones said the money would be spent on running courses for local business and in places where staff come across people with disabilities, and assisting teachers working with children with communication difficulties or verbal or hearing impairments.

Penhurst School takes on pupils aged between five and 19 who cannot be educated by their local education authority. All need at least one-to-one care, and some need two-to-one.

Most are wheelchair users, some have hearing or verbal impairments, epilepsy, or cerebral palsy and many have to be fed via tube directly to their stomachs as they are unable to safely swallow.

Each communicates in different, unique ways, meaning staff have built up a wealth of expertise in different forms of communication.

But despite the challenges each pupil presents, the school was rated outstanding by Ofsted in 2007 and last year the 25 children completed a total of 84 different modules in the Accreditation for Life and Living scheme, aimed at children and adults with severe disabilities.

So far there is about £5,000 in the kitty, and it is hoped a Christmas bazaar on Sunday, December 6 — the school’s first such event — will contribute further to funds.

It takes place between 2pm and 5pm at the school in New Street and all pupils will be involved.

To contribute to the school’s appeal, please call 01608 642559.