The PACE Centre

The PACE Centre is a UK-registered charity and special school based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, UK. It helps children and young people with motor disorders, such as cerebral palsy.

The PACE Centre, Aylesbury
Address
Coventon Road

Aylesbury
,
Buckinghamshire
,
HP19 9JL

England
Coordinates51.825906°N 0.828130°W / 51.825906; -0.828130
Information
TypeIndependent special school
Established1990
FounderHeather Last
Department for Education URN131462 Tables
OfstedReports
Chief ExecutiveIan Sansbury
Staff100 (approx.)
Age0 to 18
Enrolment108 (including pre-school children and those on other schools' rolls)
AffiliationCEPEG (http://www.cepeg.org.uk)
Websitehttp://www.thepacecentre.org

Background

PACE was founded by Heather Last in 1990 based on the principles of conductive education.[1] It is a parent-led initiative, with 5 children and 3 staff and based in converted farm buildings in Dinton, Buckinghamshire. It moved into its first purpose-built facilities in Coventon Road, Aylesbury in 1997,[2] funded mainly through the generosity of the Philip Green Memorial Trust[3]

In 2009, a special PACE unit at the Heritage House secondary school in Chesham was constituted on initiative of a Buckinghamshire parent Saera Carter, staffed by teachers from the PACE Centre to support four severely disabled teenagers during their secondary school education including her disabled son. It is funded and supported by the local authority.[4]

PACE now operates across four different sites and is currently converting a former car dealership into an Early Years Centre that will work with babies and very young children with cerebral palsy.[5] The first brick for the new centre was laid in April 2013 and the first building will be ready for occupation in January 2014.[6]

Activities and strategy

The PACE approach is based on specialist intensive learning programmes, based on the principles and practice of conductive education[1] and augmented by a range of other educational and therapeutic approaches, notably Sensory Integration, Bobath and augmentative and alternative communication strategies[7]

Each year the Middle Aged men in Lycra (MAMIL) cycling club take part in a long-range cycle challenge to raise money for the PACE Centre. So far they have raised over £500,000.[8] In October 2013 the company building the PACE Centre's new Early Years Centre led a 'flag relay' around towns in Buckinghamshire, hoping to raise £5000 for the charity.[9]

References
  1. "Therapist 'inspiration' award". BBC News. 31 August 2004. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  2. "PACE – The Story so Far". Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  3. "Philip Green Memorial Trust: The PACE Centre". Retrieved 3 September 2013.
  4. Hilary Wilce (5 March 2009). "Mother's courage: How a mum won the battle for her disabled son's schooling". The Independent. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  5. "PACE First Steps Appeal". Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  6. "First brick laid of centre which will help disabled children". The Bucks Herald. 23 April 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  7. "PACE Educational Approach". Retrieved 23 August 2013.
  8. "Windsor-based cycling team stars in film premiering in Leicester Square tomorrow documenting the unique culture of the MAMIL club". The Royal Borough Observer. Windsor. 31 October 2014. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
  9. "Centre for disabled children launches 'unique' relay around Bucks". The Bucks Herald. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2014.
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