A UNIQUE Oxfordshire school that provides classes for dyslexic pupils’ needs has taken year 9s for the first time.

The Unicorn School, Abingdon, opened its first class of six year 9s – 13 and 14-year-olds – this term in a new classroom block at its Marcham Road site.

Next year it will take those pupils into year 10 and through their GCSEs into year 11.

The school, which specialises in educating children with dyslexia, dyspraxia and speech and language problems, was founded in Oxford 26 years ago.

It has taken years 7 and 8 – 11 to 13-year-olds – since it moved to Marcham Road in 2008, but now demand from parents has convinced governors to let pupils stay on longer.

Deputy headteacher and the school’s new year 9 teacher Vita Parvin explained: “We wanted the Governors to extend the school to year 9 because a lot of the kids were struggling to find somewhere to go, and now we have realised our dream.

“Our pupils can’t access the mainstream curriculum because there is limited specialised teaching available.

“Classes are very big, whereas our classes are tiny in comparison.”

Dyslexia is a condition that affects the way the brain processes both written and spoken language, meaning people with it can have trouble reading and writing.

The Unicorn is unique in the UK in offering every pupil a half-hour one-to-one session every day where teachers can find out how they are getting on and how they learn best.

That might be kinaesthetic (learning by doing), visual or auditory, or a mixture. Having small classes allows the teachers – who are all specially trained – to make sure no child gets left behind.

Until now, once pupils left year 8 they would have to go back to a mainstream school and hope the skills they had learnt would enable them to negotiate the education system, which sometimes worked, but not often enough for their former teachers at the Unicorn.

The school has spent £60,000 – which it had to raise in donations and grants – to convert a former cottage behind the main building.

It now has two classrooms, a library, a shower block, a kitchen and an outdoor social area for pupils with benches and decking.

Ms Parvin added: “I was determined they would have this area to be grown up in, just for years 8 and 9 at the moment unless they want to invite anyone else in.”

Ultimately, the capacity for year 9 at the Unicorn will be eight pupils, maintaining the school’s teacher-to-pupil ratio of three-to-one.

Year nine pupil Nick Newman-Taylor, 13, said he was happy he would be able to stay on at the school.

He said: “Before I came to the Unicorn, I used to hate every subject, but now it’s a lot easier.’’