Oaklynn Special School

What Oaklynn Special School does

Oaklynn Special School is a state-integrated specialist school located at 20 Mayville Avenue in New Lynn, Auckland, New Zealand, serving students aged 5-21 who hold Ministry of Education Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS) approval for significant learning needs. The school is governed by a Board of Trustees chaired by Karen Burns, with Louise Doyle serving as Principal, and is staffed by approximately 53 employees including senior management, associate principals, a transdisciplinary therapy team (occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, vision specialist), specialist teachers, classroom teachers and teacher aides. Operationally Oaklynn runs 28+ classrooms across 15+ sites, structured into four syndicates: Junior (12 classrooms over 6 satellite sites in mainstream schools), Senior (9 classrooms over 4 sites including 7 satellite units), Te Piringa base classes (7 onsite classes with purpose-built sensory environments), and Oaktec, a tertiary unit in central New Lynn focused on life-skills transitions.

The school differentiates through a transdisciplinary collaborative practice model in which teachers and therapists design and deliver programs jointly, supplemented by augmentative and alternative communication programs (Makaton, PODD, visual timetables, iPads with communication apps), TEACCH structured-teaching approaches, and adapted literacy programs. Family engagement is operationalized through whānau hui meetings and the Storypark e-portfolio platform, which allows staff and families to share learning stories globally. Oaklynn also runs the STOS Outreach Service, supporting 39+ ORS-funded students across 18 mainstream school settings, and participates in the Kōtuitui Community of Learning with 12 local schools for professional development and inclusive-practice research.

Commercially Oaklynn is not a revenue-generating enterprise in the private sense: it charges no tuition, and all operating funding flows from the Ministry of Education through ORS per-student allocations and standard state school operational grants. Enrollment is gated by ORS eligibility and school zone residency. In July 2024 the Board of Trustees closed the school roll to new enrollments following the Ministry's cancellation of several building projects, capping role growth indefinitely. Distribution is multi-modal, combining direct enrollment at base and tertiary sites, satellite classrooms embedded inside mainstream partner schools, and the STOS outreach service, all concentrated in Auckland's western suburbs.

Name

Oaklynn Special School

Legal name

Oaklynn Special School

Website

https://oaklynn.school.nz

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Oaklynn Special School is a New Zealand state-integrated specialist school in New Lynn, Auckland, serving ORS-funded students aged 5-21 with significant learning needs via a transdisciplinary therapy-and-teaching model across 28+ classrooms, satellite mainstream units, and an outreach service.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Special Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialized Programs & Classrooms (Autism, Emotional/Behavioral, Intellectual/Developmental, Multi-Disability) (EDAJAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Specialized Instruction & Resource Support (Inclusion, Pull-Out, Co-Teaching) (EDAJAKAC), Co-Teaching & In-Class Instructional Support (Specialist Teachers) (EDAKABAA), Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK)

Keywords

• Special education services
• Specialist school programs
• Developmental therapy services
• Inclusive education support
• ORS-funded education

Headquarters

HQ city

New Lynn, Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Education Funding: Funded by Ministry of Education through per-student ORS (Ongoing Resourcing Scheme) allocations. ORS provides specialist support for students with significant learning needs. Additional operational funding through standard state school resourcing.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Oaklynn Special School is a state-integrated specialist school in New Lynn, Auckland delivering ORS-funded education and integrated therapy services to students aged 5–21 with significant learning needs. It operates through a Base School, satellite units inside mainstream schools, and an Oaktec tertiary unit, using a transdisciplinary model that combines classroom teaching with occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, and vision services. The school also runs the STOS Outreach Service supporting ORS-funded students in 18 mainstream schools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Juniors Syndicate Special education program for New Entrants (ages 5–7) and Upper Juniors delivered across 12 classrooms at 6 satellite sites inside mainstream schools, focused on social interaction, communication, and sensory programmes for ORS-funded students.
• Seniors Syndicate Special education program for Intermediate and High School ORS-funded students across 9 classrooms at 4 sites including 7 satellite units in mainstream schools, following SPEC programme with TRUMP or HEADWAY modules for independence and life skills.
• Te Piringa (Base School classes) Onsite base school classes at Mayville Avenue designed to foster co-regulation and rich sensory exploration in a purpose-built environment for students with complex sensory needs, comprising 7 classes (Ruma Tahi through Ruma Whitu).
• Oaktec (Alternative Learning) Tertiary unit in central New Lynn supporting older ORS-funded learners with life skills development, transitions, and preparation for independence and next steps.
• STOS Outreach Service Outreach team of specialist teachers supporting ORS-funded students in 18 mainstream school settings across Auckland (new entrants through high school), providing assessment, programme collaboration, and professional development.
• Occupational Therapy Transdisciplinary occupational therapy covering motor skills, access needs, activities of daily living, and cognition/executive functioning including sensory modulation for ORS-funded students.
• Physiotherapy Individual and group physical programmes, equipment provision (wheelchairs, standing frames, orthotics), and collaboration with medical and allied health teams to support student physical development.
• Speech and Language Therapy Therapy supporting attention, social interaction, play, behaviour, literacy, speech, language, and eating/drinking, using approaches such as Attention Autism, Intensive Interaction, TEACCH, Makaton, and AAC.
• Specialist Curriculums (Expressive Arts) Specialist curriculum offerings including Dance, Physical Education, Expressive Arts Therapy, Rhythm to Recovery, and Music Therapy supporting creative development and student wellbeing.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Kōtuitui Community of LearningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOaklynn is part of Kōtuitui, a Community of Learning comprising twelve local schools working together to raise student achievement. The collaboration involves three in-school teachers (Sian Pinchen, Istvan Csata, and Abegail Romualdo) participating in collaborative inquiries and professional development. The CoL operates as 'a powerful educational research and development network focused on meeting local learning needs'.
• Mainstream Host SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOaklynn maintains satellite units in mainstream schools including Avondale Intermediate, Green Bay School, Green Bay High School, Kelston Boys High School, and others for junior satellite classes. These partnerships allow ORS-funded students to integrate with mainstream peers while receiving specialist support.
• Outside Agencies and Healthcare ProviderssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool collaborates with external agencies including Talklink (communication), orthotics providers, Accessable (disability support), GPs, paediatricians, audiologists, and other health and disability services. Therapy team works with these partners to provide holistic student support.
• Disability ConnectsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability Information Advisory Service that runs workshops, information sessions, and connects families to support groups. Oaklynn references this as a key contact for families seeking additional support and information.
• Kaikaranga (formerly Taikura Trust)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvider of Needs Assessment Service Coordination which determines ORS funding available for students. Essential partnership for enrollment eligibility determination.
• Parent Support GroupssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with parent support groups including Parent to Parent, Pasifika Autism Support Group, Autism New Zealand, Chinese Disability Support Group (through Disability Connect), and ADHD New Zealand. These groups provide peer support for families of children with disabilities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Storypark: Digital e-portfolio platform used by Oaklynn and many other NZ early-childhood and specialist providers. Indirect enabling partner in Oaklynn's family engagement workflow.
• Accessable NZ: Disability support and equipment provider partnering with Oaklynn's therapy team. Ecosystem participant rather than competitor.

Regional players

• Fernhill Special School: Special school based outside Auckland, serving a similar ORS-funded cohort. Comparable specialist programming but geographically distinct, illustrating how Oaklynn's model could be replicated regionally.
• Wilson School (Hamilton): Waikato-based specialist school delivering programmes for students with significant disabilities under the same MoE ORS framework. Mirrors Oaklynn's transdisciplinary team approach.

Direct peers

• Sutton Park School: NZ state specialist school for students with intellectual and physical disabilities. Comparable transdisciplinary approach and reliance on MoE ORS funding.
• Sunnydale Special School: Auckland-based state specialist school providing similar ORS-funded special education services for students with significant learning needs. Direct comparability in mission, funding model, and student population.
• Homai School: Auckland specialist school with a satellite and base-site model serving ORS-funded students with complex needs. Operates in the same regulatory and funding environment as Oaklynn.
• Halswell School (Special Needs Unit): Christchurch-based provider with designated special education programmes for ORS-funded students. Comparable specialist-teacher and therapy integration model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/oaklynn-special-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Oaklynn Special School