In the family of CISC schools there are eleven special schools. These schools were often established by religious orders to provide an education for the most vulnerable members of society. For example, St. Elizabeth’s Centre in Much Hadham was established in 1903 when The Daughters of the Cross of Liege were invited to open a school in England for children with severe epilepsy.
This followed the Elementary Education Act 1899 which sought to make better provision for children with epilepsy, who up to that point either remained at home or ended up in workhouses. St. Elizabeth’s to this day caters for children with epilepsy, but has expanded its provision to include a wide range of needs.
The eleven special schools in the CISC family, inspired by their Catholic mission to serve the most vulnerable in society, meet a wide range of complex needs, ranging from visual impairment, profound physical disability to social, emotional and mental health (SEMH). A full list of the special schools with links to their member pages can be found below:
St Elizabeth’s Centre, Hertfordshire
St John’s Catholic School for the Deaf, Yorkshire
St John Vianney School
St. Joseph’s Specialist School and College
St Rose’s School, Gloucestershire
St Vincent’s School, Liverpool