EDUCATION
Developing an Early Intervention Programme
We are fully committed to challenging and positively influencing current practices for young people with learning disabilities. We are focused on delivering real change and helping more students and their families get access to high-quality education which will improve their employment prospects and transform life outcomes.
IMPACT
£7.5 million
The amount we've invested in establishing the school at Undershaw.
8 years
The length of time Undershaw has been open.
115
School Pupil Capacity
WHY IT MATTERS
The DFN Foundation purchased the once-derelict Undershaw site and worked with local planners, architects, and specialists to turn the site into an accessible, inspiring and leading facility for the education and wellbeing of all our students. The building provides a very special learning environment for pupils to learn, grow and thrive. Students have the space and time to enjoy each other’s company and friendship, gain a sense of community, learn so much from their peers, all of which contributes to the strong culture of Undershaw.
OUR AMBITION
To continue promoting the development of best practices in special needs education to deliver effective life-altering outcomes for young people with learning difficulties, disabilities and autism.
Provide support to special needs schools to disseminate best practices in employability training to support young people with learning difficulties, disabilities and autism through effective methods.
Provide support to special needs schools to disseminate best practices in employability training to support young people with learning difficulties, disabilities and autism through effective methods.
OUR ACTIONS TO ACHIEVE IT
PARTNERSHIPS
Undershaw
Our Commitments
The Stepping Stones School at Undershaw is looking to create the gold standard in special needs education, providing young people with high quality education, training, therapy and care to help them reach their full potential. The DFN Foundation has been at the heart of conceiving and delivering the world-class special needs school facilities, following the purchase of the Undershaw Hotel in Hindhead in September 2014.
Driving Change
We believe that education is so much more than measuring the quantifiable. Our success in life, however we choose to define it, is a result of the hard and soft skills we learn along the way.
The DFN Foundation funded the Progression Coach role and thus created an Employability and Life Skills Faculty at Undershaw. The resultant Employability curriculum has been transformed over the past few years and is now setting the standard for life skills education across SEND education. Undershaw adopted the Skills Builder Framework in 2019.
The DFN Foundation funded the Progression Coach role and thus created an Employability and Life Skills Faculty at Undershaw. The resultant Employability curriculum has been transformed over the past few years and is now setting the standard for life skills education across SEND education. Undershaw adopted the Skills Builder Framework in 2019.
PAST PARTNERSHIPS
DFN MoveForward Programme
What is it?
The DFN Foundation is proud to be the lead commissioner and co-designer of the DFN MoveForward, a school and college-based employability training programme developed in partnership with ThinkForward. In developing MoveForward, ThinkForward has created an innovative school-based employability skills strategy that supports students with special needs in work and promotes greater employer awareness and engagement.
Our Results
Our results and findings from the pilot scheme showed that the MoveForward project delivers enhanced job outcome success for the young people involved. The programme ended in April 2024 after a successful five years where DFN MoveForward helped 84 adults successfully transition into an employment pathway. Specifically, 64 individuals secured full-time paid employment and 20 moved into part-time employment. Additionally, over the life of the programme, we facilitated 90 young adults in accessing supported internships
Contact
Our registered office: Fivefields, 8-10 Grosvenor Gardens, London, SW1W 0DH
Phone: 02034323402info@dfnfoundation.org
Our registered office is:
Fivefields, 8-10 Grosvenor Gardens, London, SW1W 0DH
The DFN Charitable Foundation currently has sizeable commitments
and is not accepting grant applications.
Charities Commission
Please find our certificate from the Charities Commission here.