The Windmill School
Free schools special school in Barnet (Barnet).
Location
iSchool location from Get Information about Schools. Nearby schools are coloured by phase. Open Map+ for a full-screen map with neighbourhood deprivation (England only).About
The Windmill School opened in September 2023 as an all age special free school for up to 90 pupils aged 5-19 with a primary diagnosis of autism.
It has been developed by senior leaders from Oak Lodge School in East Finchley, building on their skills and experience in autism education and supported by a team of specialist academics and education consultants including autistic scholars. The language used to describe autism is currently the subject of intense discussion.
All content Here you will find will include identity first language ( e.g., autistic person ) so that we are respectful to those on the autism spectrum their families and supporters. We recognise autism as a lifespan condition avoiding any deficit-model terminology.
The Windmill School complements the existing range of generic special schools and autism specific provisions in mainstream schools, to offer places for children whose autism is the major barrier to their learning and who find the sensory aspects of those environments too challenging for successful progress in their learning.
In the school’s own words, from the school website.
Enrichment
4 activitiesiFound on the school website by WhatSchool. Not verified by Governance Register; the school website is the authority.- Dance
- Minecraft
- Forest School
- Times Tables Rock Stars
Awards
1 awardiFound on the school website by WhatSchool. Not verified by Governance Register; the school website is the authority.- Music MarkMusic
Key facts
- URN
- 143758
- Type
- Free schools special
- Phase
- Not applicable
- Ages
- 5 to 19
- Gender
- Mixed
- Sixth form
- Has a sixth form
- Nursery
- No Nursery Classes
- Local authority
- Barnet
- Constituency
- Chipping Barnet
- Setting
- Urban: Nearer to a major town or city
- Opened
- 2023
Governing body (9 current, 1 former)
iAcademy trust: local governing body and trust board.1 governor is linked to a profile (all confirmed).
Governors marked “Confirmed same person” have exactly the same forename and surname as the only officer of that name at the school’s own academy trust company on the Companies House register, so we treat them as the same person. The governance record itself comes from DfE.
Leadership
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ms Pip Hardaker | Chair of Local Governing Body | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2023 · until 2027 ends 2027 |
Full governing body
| Name | Role | How appointed | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ms Helen Tsui | Local Governor | Elected by parents | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Mr Brian Irvine | Local Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Eleanor Woods | Local Governor | Elected by school staff | since 2025 · until 2029 |
| Mr Dan Wilson | Local Governor | Elected by parents | since 2024 · until 2028 |
| Ms Ginny D'Odorico | Local Governor | Ex-officio by virtue of office as headteacher/principal | since 2023 |
| Ms Lynda Walker Confirmed same person | Local Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2023 · until 2027 ends 2027 |
| Ms Pip Hardaker | Local Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2023 · until 2027 ends 2027 |
| Ms Annie Etherington | Local Governor | Appointed by foundation/Trust | since 2023 · until 2027 ends 2027 |
| Mr Allan Willis Former | Local Governor | Appointed by GB/board | since 2025 · term ended 2026 |
Source: Department for Education, Get Information about Schools (governance records, as at 1 November 2026). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Names are shown as published; there are no addresses or contact details. Current and former are worked out from term end dates when the page loads. Object or ask for removal · Report an issue with this record