The Shires

The Shires provides specialist education and care for young people aged 11-19 years of age with autism, associated learning disabilities and complex needs. The Shires comprises of two specialist independent schools co-located alongside two children’s homes. The Shires at Stretton and The Shires at Oakham are both situated in the beautiful county of Rutland. The Shires at Stretton provides 38 or 52-week care and educational packages for up to fourteen pupils, with space for six 38-week day placements. The Shires at Oakham provides 38 or 52-week care and educational packages for up seven pupils, with space for one 38-week day placement.

At the Shires, we provide young people with the nurture, care and understanding that supports them to develop the academic, life, and independence skills they need to reach their full potential and personal aspirations. With the right support in place and a passionate and experienced team with them every step of the way, we believe every young person can achieve. We are dedicated to providing an autism friendly environment which inspires learning, where young people are supported to flourish and grow. Personalised targets and tailored learning ensures they make progress appropriate to their specific needs both in education and in their personal lives.

“To get the best out of life, young people need to be fully nurtured to give them the confidence to succeed. Young people attending The Shires School will receive a great combination of a nurturing environment combined with the education, support and life skills which will give them the confidence to achieve great things.”

Jamie Hill, Head of Education

Our Vision & Aim

Our vision is to create a community where young people are nurtured, education is highly valued, diversity is embraced, and young people are encouraged to develop and grow in a safe and secure environment with the support of a highly skilled and nurturing team around them.

Our aim for the young people coming to The Shires is quite simple; we want every young person to progress developmentally, educationally and socially. We want them to develop an understanding of themselves and to experience what success feels like. Through these actions, we can equip every young person with the skills and knowledge they need to go on to succeed.