Welcome to the Hinderton Outreach website

Meet our Outreach team

Carole is the Outreach and EYFS lead at Hinderton School. She has worked in special education at Hinderton for over 10 years but prior to this she had many years of experience as an EYFS teacher in mainstream schools in Halton. Carole is fully trained in Attention Autism therapy, a programme designed to develop attention , communication and early learning skills in young children with additional needs. She has worked successfully with many local mainstream schools and nurseries to embed this programme into their EYFS practice. She leads the outreach team at Hinderton and she enjoys working with Schools and EYFS settings so that children with Autism can have the very best start to their education. Carole is also a mum to two children with Autism so she offers a unique perspective on the challenges faced by both schools and families.

Carole Christian

Assistant Headteacher and Outreach Lead at Hinderton School



Karen is a Family Support Worker and member of the Leadership team at Hinderton School. She is responsible for analysing behaviour patterns and supporting teachers in producing individualised behaviour plans. Karen is also a qualified Sleep Counsellor, through the Sleep Scotland Programme, and has many years of experience supporting families with issues around Sleep.

Karen has extensive experience in supporting EYFS settings and schools. Her work as a Family Support Worker and TAF lead has involved working with a wide range of agencies to improve outcomes for pupils with autism and their families.

Karen has knowledge of supporting the mental health needs of children and young people especially those who are not attending school due to their anxiety.


Karen Gray

Outreach HLTA and Family Support Worker

What is Hinderton Outreach?

Hinderton Outreach is the outreach and training arm of Hinderton School, a Special School in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. We specialise in supporting children with autism.

Building on our previous work as a Teaching School, Hinderton Outreach is intended to support colleagues in wider school and EYFS settings to meet the needs of children with autism.

What services does Hinderton Outreach offer?

Our School aged Outreach offer is funded by Cheshire West and Chester and is provided free of charge to eligible Cheshire West Schools.


Please do not submit more than one request per term, per school as we need to ensure a fair and equitable provision across all settings.


The Cheshire West Outreach Support offer is primarily focused on:


  • Successfully maintaining mainstream placements for children and young people with SEND with specialist advice and support

  • Developing confidence of parents / carers and mainstream settings for children and young people with SEND transitioning between Key Stages (early years into primary, primary to secondary, secondary into college / post 16 provision)

  • To support children and young people who are ready to transition from special schools into mainstream.

Please note that the Outreach Service can not be used to request a change of setting.


Please contact the SEND team to request Outreach Support from Hinderton School:

senoutreach@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk


How does our outreach process work?

The Outreach Process

  • We aim to offer an outreach service that is bespoke to the unique needs of each case.

  • Each outreach case will begin with an initial consultation and observation to decide on the appropriate course of action. We will then identify key targets and areas of focus to work on.

  • Our outreach team will provide a clear and thorough written report with recommendations about strategies and resources to be used as well as advice on adaptations to the environment.

  • The outreach practitioner will arrange to visit or contact each setting regularly to support with the targets that are in place.


Additional Support

When we are working with a school on a outreach case we offer a full range of additional support.

  • We offer the opportunity for staff members to visit Hinderton School where they can gain first hand experience of teaching and planning for effective learning with children with Autism.

  • In reach visits where staff members can observe our practitioners modelling suggested strategies and interventions.

  • Access to a full programme of Autism specific training via the Autism Education Trust.

  • Support with creating resources.

  • Sign posting to a variety of supportive agencies and Autism specific approaches.

  • Support and advice for families where needed.