Treehouse School
TreeHouse School is a London-based non-maintained special school operated by the charity Ambitious about Autism, providing specialist education to 102 autistic pupils aged 3-19 funded through local authority EHC plans.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1997
- HeadquartersLondon (Muswell Hill), United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Treehouse School does
TreeHouse School is a non-maintained special day school located at the Pears National Centre for Autism Education in Muswell Hill, north London. Founded in 1997 by a group of parents of autistic children and operated by the national charity Ambitious about Autism, the school provides specialist education for 102 pupils aged 3 to 19 with a primary diagnosis of complex autism or related communication disorder. All pupils are named in an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan and require at least 1:1 learning support. The school delivers a personalised curriculum through three non-sequential pathways (Pre-formal, Semi-formal, Formal), structured around a Quality of Life Curriculum Model focused on Wellbeing, Independence, and Social Participation, and benchmarked through a nine-level assessment framework on the Earwig platform. Behaviour support is delivered via the Ambitious Approach using School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SW-PBS).
The school's core delivery asset is its trans-disciplinary team of 160+ staff, including qualified teachers, behaviour professionals, speech and language therapists, and occupational therapists. Supporting technology includes Cubbie, a digital sensory room enabling pupils to build personalised sensory regulation profiles (the first UK special school to deploy it), and Earwig for ongoing progress tracking. Enrichment is delivered through community partnerships including Aurora Orchestra, Music for Autism, Saracens Rugby Foundation, Snowbility, OrganicLea, and local mainstream schools via a reverse inclusion project.
TreeHouse School is funded entirely through EHC plan placements commissioned by local authorities across London and the Home Counties, with supplementary charitable support led by Pears Foundation (over £1m raised since 2005). The school received an Outstanding Ofsted rating in all areas in June 2024 and offers training suite hire as a commercial extension of its specialist expertise. Operational leadership is provided by Head of School Joanna Dziopa (appointed December 2021) and Director of Education and Care Sam Newton, with governance chaired by Martyn Craddock.
Treehouse School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Treehouse School
- Legal name
- TreeHouse School
- Website
- https://treehouseschool.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1997
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- TreeHouse School is a London-based non-maintained special school operated by the charity Ambitious about Autism, providing specialist education to 102 autistic pupils aged 3-19 funded through local authority EHC plans.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Treehouse School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Special Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Other Schools and Instruction (6116)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Emotional & Behavioral Disorders (EBD) / Therapeutic Day Schools (EDAKAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Autism Parent/Caregiver Education & Training (School-Linked) (EDAKAKAJ)
Keywords
Where Treehouse School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London (Muswell Hill)
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Treehouse School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Government/Funded Placements: As a non-maintained special school registered with the Department for Education, TreeHouse receives government funding. All places are funded by local authorities (except in exceptional circumstances like temporary UK residency) through EHC plans.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | School Meals |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Treehouse School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TreeHouse School is a non-maintained special day school providing specialist education for children and young people aged 3–19 with primary diagnoses of complex autism or related communication disorders. It delivers personalized learning through three curriculum pathways (Pre-formal, Semi-formal, Formal) within the Ambitious Approach framework, supported by a trans-disciplinary team of teachers, behaviour professionals, speech and language therapists, and occupational therapists, with all places funded by local authorities through Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans.
Product overview
TreeHouse School is a non-maintained special school providing specialist education for autistic children and young people aged 3-19. The school offers a highly personalised curriculum through three pathways (Pre-formal, Semi-formal, and Formal), delivered via its Ambitious Approach framework. Educational services include KS1-4 curriculum, Sixth Form provision focused on Preparing for Adulthood, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, behaviour support, and enrichment activities including arts, sports, and community links. The school operates from the Pears National Centre for Autism Education in Muswell Hill, London.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- KS1-4 Specialist Education Programme
Quantifiable outcome
- 102 pupils currently on roll
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Treehouse School
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Treehouse School technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Treehouse School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Friends of the Highgate Roman Kiln (FOHRK)minorPartnership for local history project in Highgate Woods. FOHRK worked with Firing London's Imagination with City of London Corporation and Bruce Castle Museum to re-install original kiln and create working replica. Nick Peacey from FOHRK has longstanding SEND expertise and connection to TreeHouse School from early years.
- CubbiecoreTreeHouse School became the first special school in UK to invest in Cubbie digital sensory room software. Cubbie digitalises traditional sensory rooms, allowing pupils to build personal profiles with favourite stimuli accessible instantly for sensory regulation. Developed by parents of autistic children.
- Aurora OrchestracoreLongstanding partnership delivering specially adapted multi-sensory music performances into the school. Classes explore music through active music making on percussion instruments, multi-sensory listening, and Makaton sing and sign. Partnership enabled Nutcracker performances and interactive concerts.
- OrganicLeaminorWorkers' food co-operative partnering with TreeHouse School on the Saplings project. Orla at OrganicLea coordinates box pack and works with staff and pupils on horticulture activities.
- Saracens Rugby FoundationminorFoundation coaches deliver rugby sessions working on passing, catching, kicking, gameplay and teamwork with pupils. Partnership provides regular PE enrichment activities.
- SnowbilityminorSkiing provider delivering lessons at Snowbility. Some pupils progressing from training slope to advanced slope, building independence and great relationships with coaches.
- Music for AutismminorOngoing partnership with Music for Autism through Orchestra of St John. Their fundraising helped fund piano concerts featuring Derek Paravicini for learners.
- Local Mainstream SchoolscoreClose relationship with several local mainstream schools encouraging two-way flow of staff and pupils. Reverse inclusion project brings pupils from across London to interact and learn with TreeHouse pupils. TreeHouse pupils also attend mainstream schools with support.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Treehouse School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- National Autistic Society: The National Autistic Society (NAS) is the UK's largest autism charity and runs specialist schools, adult services, and accreditation programmes. It is a broad incumbent in the same autism-specialist education space, with overlapping but wider scope than TreeHouse.
Direct peers
- Ambitious about Autism: Ambitious about Autism is the parent charity of TreeHouse School and also operates its own specialist education provisions (e.g. Waterfall House) and post-16 services. It is the closest organisational peer, sharing leadership, governance, and the Ambitious Approach framework.
- The Village School: The Village School is a specialist school for autistic children and young people in London that explicitly appears in TreeHouse's governance network (a governor is Interim Headteacher there). It serves a comparable London-based specialist autism population via EHC-funded placements.
- Prior's Court School: Prior's Court is a specialist residential and day school in Berkshire for children and young people aged 5-19 with complex autism. It is one of the closest direct comparables to TreeHouse School in mission, clinical intensity, and EHC-funded operating model.
- Riverston School: Riverston is an independent special school in south London serving children with a range of SEND including autism. It competes in the London specialist school market and accepts EHC-funded placements, making it a regional peer.
- The Hesley Group: Hesley Group operates specialist day and residential schools and adult services for autistic individuals across the UK. Its schools provide similarly intensive trans-disciplinary support and EHC-funded placements, making it a direct operational peer to TreeHouse.
- Sunfield School: Sunfield School is a specialist school in Worcestershire for children and young people with autism and complex needs using a holistic, therapeutic approach. It is a direct peer to TreeHouse in mission, methodology, and EHC-funded specialist provision.
- Hilary Cam Specialist Education Trust: Hilary Cam operates specialist provision for children with autism and related communication needs in the UK, often working within mainstream school settings. It overlaps with TreeHouse's parent-education and specialist-autism support remit.
Others
- nasen (National Association for Special Educational Needs): nasen is the UK's leading SEND membership and training organisation supporting educators of children with special needs. It is an adjacent ecosystem player that shares TreeHouse's training, CPD, and SEND-system improvement agendas but does not directly compete for pupils.
- Autism Education Trust: Autism Education Trust is a national UK body that develops resources and training programmes for educators working with autistic pupils. It is an adjacent, enabling peer that overlaps with TreeHouse's training, family-support, and Ambitious Approach dissemination activities.
Market position
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Treehouse School social profiles
Digital presenceTreehouse School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Treehouse School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Treehouse School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Treehouse School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Treehouse School
What does Treehouse School do?
TreeHouse School is a non-maintained special day school providing specialist education for children and young people aged 3–19 with primary diagnoses of complex autism or related communication disorders. It delivers personalized learning through three curriculum pathways (Pre-formal, Semi-formal, Formal) within the Ambitious Approach framework, supported by a trans-disciplinary team of teachers, behaviour professionals, speech and language therapists, and occupational therapists, with all places funded by local authorities through Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans.
Is Treehouse School a public or private company?
Treehouse School is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Treehouse School founded?
Treehouse School was founded in 1997. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Treehouse School based?
Treehouse School is headquartered in London (Muswell Hill), United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Treehouse School make money?
One revenue line is on record: government/Funded Placements.
Who are Treehouse School's main competitors?
National Autistic Society is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Ambitious about Autism, The Village School, Prior's Court School, Riverston School, The Hesley Group, Sunfield School and Hilary Cam Specialist Education Trust. Others are nasen (National Association for Special Educational Needs) and Autism Education Trust.
Does Treehouse School have an API?
No public API is recorded for Treehouse School.
What industry is Treehouse School in?
Treehouse School's product category is Special Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAKAAAC, Emotional & Behavioral Disorders (EBD) / Therapeutic Day Schools, with a secondary code of EDAKAKAJ, Autism Parent/Caregiver Education & Training (School-Linked). Its NAICS code is 61111 and its SIC code is 8200.