THE head of an independent school for special needs students has toasted a successful first year.

Barrow’s Moorfield Learning Centre is due to complete its first academic year and school bosses have praised the achievements of students at the school.

The centre is run operated by CASC Barrow (caring and supporting children), offering an alternative learning environment for up to 12 young people who would otherwise have difficulty in a mainstream school.

The school, in Moorfield Street, offers education for year seven to 12.

Headteacher Hilary Southward has looked back on a successful year that has seen students gain a host of qualifications and complete valuable work experience.

Mrs Southward said: “Many of our young people have special educational needs and are not able to maintain being at a mainstream school.

“Students come to us on a bespoke timetable and we cater to their needs and build academic qualifications around that.

“Our students have achieved so much over the year and really progressed.”

She said Year 12 students who had come to Moorfield looking to gain confidence ahead of going to college had thrived.

“We have two students with autism who came with us for Year 12 to complete their GSCEs,” Mrs Southward said.

“They told us they had really benefited from being here and were ready to college.”

During the year, six students also completed a week of work experience.

Moorfield students have also completed a number of qualifications including Functional Skills English and Maths at level one and two and a BTEC in cooking. A new headteacher is due to take over for the next school term.

Dave Cubiss, currently a teacher at Walney School, will head up Moorfield Learning Centre next year on secondment. Mrs Southward said she would step aside as head but continue to work at the centre.