The London Centre
for Children with Cerebral Palsy
About Us
The London Centre for Children with Cerebral Palsy is the operating name for The Peter Rigby Trust, a registered charitable company. It was first established as The Hornsey Trust for Handicapped Children in 1963 by Peter Rigby, then Mayor of Hornsey, and latterly became The Hornsey Trust for Children with Cerebral Palsy.
Its aim initially was to provide education, training and leisure activities for people with learning difficulties. The Hornsey Centre was officially opened in 1967 by its Royal Patron, HRH Princess Alexandra and provided a number of day centre type services for young people with a range of disabilities up to the age of 25 years. Over the years, these services became more focused on providing support to children with cerebral palsy.
In 1988, in response to parental demand, The Hornsey Trust incorporated conductive education into its work for children with cerebral palsy. It raised significant funds to extend its facilities and opened the Conductive Education Centre.
Focussing initially on pre-school children and their parents, the Centre soon added a full-time nursery for 3 to 5 year olds and a school group for children aged 5 to 7 years. In February 1999 the Centre achieved Department for Education and Employment (now the Department for Children, Schools and Families) Approved School status as an independent special school for children up to the age of seven, (Key Stage 1 of the National Curriculum). In 2007, it extended its school provision to Key Stage 2 of the National Curriculum, for children up to the age of eleven.
The London Centre is the only organisation of its kind in London.
The Centre also established a training service for:
- parents
- schools
- teachers
- learning support assistants
- other professionals
- working with children with cerebral palsy in mainstream settings
It also ran block sessions and Summer Schools.
Over the past 45 years, The London Centre's services have evolved and developed. These services now include:
- One to one support for babies and toddlers
- Parent and child groups
- Block sessions and summer schools
- A nursery and school
- Outreach services
- Training for parents and professionals
Our Values
- Committed to Conductive Education
- Pioneering in our approach
- Encouraging to children, families and staff
- Enthusiastic about the services we provide
- Continuously Learning about what we do
- Supportive of those around us
- Accountable to children, families, funders and our supporters
- Inclusive in how we work with others
Our Vision
"To inspire children with cerebral palsy from across the London region to develop independence, confidence and self-esteem and in so doing, achieve their full potential."
Our Mission
The London Centre for Children with Cerebral Palsy aims to inspire children with cerebral palsy to develop independence, confidence and self-esteem and to achieve their full potential. It will strive towards its vision by developing and maintaining a reputation as a centre of excellence which delivers high quality, pioneering, specialist education services to children with cerebral palsy and their families from across the London region.
Further Links
Here are some examples of what your donation will help fund:
- £5 - two-handed cup or picture book
- £20 - one parent and child session
- £50 - a home visit or switch access computer game
- £100 - a ladder back chair or new reading scheme
- £3.5 million - a new school building (our dream wish!)
