Ms Clifford said the school has undergone a massive transformation since it was placed in Special Measures in 2017, before she became the head teacher.
Since then, the school has become a regional leader in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) for 262 students aged between three and 19.
“Being in special measures was a blessing in disguise,” she said.
“We got to start from scratch and that’s what the school needed.
“We designed the school around autism, with a focus on preparing the children for life after education.”
The school now has a full-scale role play village which includes a shop, post office, doctors surgery and vets.
The village allows the pupils to practise their communication skills so when they are out in the community they are prepared for the different situations that might arise.
The school also has a student-run cafe, which allows the pupils to train as baristas and earn a food hygiene qualification.
There is also a full working farm on site where pupils take care of alpacas, pigs, goats and chickens and earn an animal husbandry qualification.
“If you are a person with autism you are ten times more likely to be unemployed and three times more likely to be in the criminal justice system,” Ms Clifford said.
“This curriculum helps pupils learn to live in the real world.
“A lot of our students finish school and go on to work in zoos and petting zoos.”
