Welcome to
The Willow
A place to belong. A place to flourish.
Quick info:
Age range:
5–11 Years
Capacity:
12 Pupils
Provision:
Specialist day school (Focus ASD)
Admissions:
Placements for children with an Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP)
Telephone:
0116 283 6350
Location:
The What Cabin,
Willow Street, LE2 2HR
Proprietor:
St Matthews Children’s Action Group
Chair:
Dee Dixon
Headteacher:
Steph Turnbull
DSL Information:
Kuljit Singh Walia - Lead DSL
Dee Dixon - DDSL
Steph Turnbull - DDSL
Josh Dixon - DDSL
Term dates:
Need to check our upcoming school holidays or inset days?
Click the button to find the Foundation's complete academic calendar.
Policies:
Take a look through our policies for The Willow, if you have any questions, please contact us.
About us
Reconnecting with learning
Established through the combined expertise of The Goldhill Learning Foundation and St Matthew's Children's Action Group, The Willow provides a highly personalised educational environment where children can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
Rather than expecting children to fit into a traditional educational model, our provision is built entirely around the needs of the individual pupil. With a maximum capacity of just 12 pupils, every child is truly known, understood, and supported.
Our vision
To create a calm, structured, specialist learning environment where children who have previously struggled can safely re-engage with education, rebuild confidence, and achieve meaningful progress.
Read more about our Foundation's overarching Core Values here.
Why choose The Willow
Specialist autism provision
An environment designed specifically to meet the needs of autistic children.
Small class sizes
Just 12 pupils across the whole school, ensuring exceptional levels of support.
Personalised learning
Programmes tailored entirely to individual strengths, interests, and EHCP outcomes.
Calm learning environment
Low-arousal classrooms designed to reduce anxiety and promote engagement.
Family partnership
Working seamlessly with parents, carers, and professionals.
Specialist staff
Experienced practitioners with deep expertise in autism, SEND, and emotional wellbeing.
Specialist provision & curriculum
Understanding and Celebrating Autism
At The Willow, autism is understood, respected, and celebrated. We focus on removing barriers so that our pupils can safely engage and learn. Our specialist approach is built around three core pillars of support:
Communication
We actively support a wide range of communication styles, providing visual and alternative communication methods wherever appropriate to ensure every child has a voice.
Sensory regulation
We recognise that children experience the world differently. Our environment includes:
Calm learning spaces and low-arousal classrooms
Quiet breakout areas
A wide range of sensory resources
Highly predictable daily routines
Emotional wellbeing
Children are deeply supported to understand their emotions, build confidence, develop friendships, learn self-regulation skills, and increase their day-to-day independence.
Families, safeguarding & policies
Working together
Parents and carers are central to their child's educational journey. We aim to build positive partnerships based upon trust, communication, and shared goals. Families are actively encouraged to attend reviews, contribute to EHCP targets, participate in school events, and share both successes and concerns.
We provide regular updates regarding your child's progress, attendance, wellbeing, and learning achievements.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. The Willow is fully committed to promoting the welfare of children. If you have any immediate concerns about a child, please contact our Designated Safeguarding Lead, Kuljit Walia, immediately.
Leicester Children's Social Care: 0116 454 1004
Leicestershire First Response Children's Duty Team: 0116 305 0005
Emergency: 999
Governance & leadership
The Willow benefits from the strong oversight of The Goldhill Learning Foundation's Board of Governors, ensuring rigorous standards for education, safeguarding, and financial management.
Leadership team: Steph Turnbull (Headteacher), Josh Dixon (Head of Operations), Kuljit Walia (DSL).
School policies
We maintain strict, comprehensive policies to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our entire community—from Safeguarding and Child Protection to Health, Safety, and Online Behaviour.
A commitment to excellence
The Willow operates under the rigorous standards of The Goldhill Learning Foundation. We are incredibly proud to have been rated 'Good' in all areas by Ofsted in 2025, reflecting our ongoing dedication to providing a safe, high-quality, and deeply supportive educational environment for every child in our care.
Come and visit us…
We proudly accept referrals from Local Authorities for children aged 5–11 years with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
We warmly welcome enquiries and visits from parents, carers, local authorities, and professionals.
To arrange a visit or speak with our team, please reach out to our school office.
The Willow address:
The What Cabin, Willow Street
Leicester, LE1 2HR
Telephone:
0116 283 6350
Please select option 5.
Email address:
Email Josh Dixon
Click to email
Visit The Goldhill Learning Foundation contact page here.
Looking for a different setting?
We know that finding the perfect educational fit is essential. If The Willow's specific primary autism provision isn't quite what you are looking for, we invite you to explore our other specialist Foundation locations.