Keir Ingram’s family say he is meeting his true potential, thanks to his unique education at an Aberdeen school for children with learning disabilities.
Camphill School puts meaningful learning at the heart of everything it does.
That ethos transformed Keir’s life, providing equine therapy, practical workshops and hands-on learning across its three leafy estates.
And as we hear from executive director Alex Busch, Camphill School’s forthcoming expansion will provide even more opportunities for young people like Keir.
“Keir is very interested in building sites and big machines,” says Alex. “Through our expansion plans, we will become a building site for a number of years. We’re looking at how we can make the best of that for our young people.”
For starters, Keir and his classmates have attended a workshop with the project architects, where they viewed 3D models of the new plans.
“We’re looking at how we can support our young people in a safe way that also offers learning opportunities,” adds Alex.
Camphill was a ‘no-brainer’
Camphill School’s £10 million expansion plan aims to provide these opportunities to hundreds more young people in the years to come.
Without it, many children with complex additional support needs face a challenging time accessing the right education for them.
For Keir, the right education meant leaving his family in Ayrshire behind, and moving 200 miles to Camphill.
Keir, now 20, was just 11 when his local school said they could no longer provide the support he needed. His family was faced with a heart-breaking decision: to continue to struggle to care for him at home, or send him to a specialist school at the other end of the country.
Mum Joanna explains: “Unfortunately it got to the point at home that we could no longer look after Keir and give him the care he needed. With his diagnosis of ADHD and global developmental delay, Keir can be physically aggressive and when he started to get bigger and stronger and headed into puberty, home life got difficult.
“It was having a big effect on Keir’s younger brother Evan, and we needed to find a school that fitted Keir’s needs.”
Keir’s former head teacher recommended Camphill. Set in a stunning woodland estate west of Aberdeen, it was a great opportunity for Keir.
“He loves nature and animals, and has been riding horses since he was five,” says Joanna. “He is really at peace when in that environment. We did explore other options closer to home, but Camphill was just the perfect fit for Keir, and we want him to have the best life he possibly can.
“At Camphill, he has that. It was a no-brainer.”
Meaningful learning
As idyllic as it sounds, there’s a firm academic footing to all Camphill’s workshops and therapies. For example, equine therapy involves leading the horse around a series of obstacles, and care management such as grooming, shoeing and feeding. However, the therapy also massively boosts young people’s confidence, memory and concentration, communication, balance and coordination.
“When Keir is with a horse, he is truly calm and totally at one with the animal,” says dad Kenny. “The fact Keir can access equine therapy at Camphill is fantastic for him and he has come on so much because of it.”
Camphill boss Alex Busch describes the school’s extensive workshop programme as “unique”.
“We offer a wide range of over 16 different workshops from the care farm, equine therapy, metalwork, pottery, crafts, bike repairs – you name it and we have it. You could say we’re almost by now a specialist college for young adults with additional support needs.”
The school runs an in-house awards scheme to measure outcomes, in addition to SQA qualifications. “One of our pupils recently got an A in National 5 computer technology, so we’re chuffed about that,” says Alex.
“Our motto is whatever you do needs to be meaningful. Socialising, working on the farm, in the school, sharing meals together in our houses – meaningfulness is at the heart of everything we do.”
Camphill hopes to expand on this with the launch of its new social enterprise, Murtle Market. “It will be a refilling and heritage shop where members of the public can purchase products we make in the workshops and on the land,” says Alex. “It showcases who we are and what we do. That’s new as well. It’s an open interface with the public and I’m really excited about all of that.”
Expansion plans
Recent years have brought a huge surge in demand for specialist care facilities like Camphill. The charity has seen a 140% increase in placement enquiries in the past year alone.
In response, Camphill School’s expansion plan aims to raise £10 million to increase capacity by 60%.
The plan is to replace one residential home and build two more, each with capacity for seven residential students.
“Families face a real challenge to access local support that fits the needs of their child,” says Alex. “We are delighted to have been able to support Keir and see him develop over the years. Camphill is such a unique and special place that gives families another option if their child is struggling in mainstream education, therefore it is so important to open the doors to even more children and young people who need it most.”
Keir’s family couldn’t agree more.
“Keir has a fantastic quality of life at Camphill School and we are so incredibly proud of him and how far he has come over the past few years,” says Kenny.
“All the staff are amazing and truly care about all their students and encourage them to reach their full potential. Camphill is all we could ask for and more for our son.”
- Learn more about Camphill’s expansion plans on the school’s website.
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