Staff members at Prior’s Court have been praised in a House of Commons motion for their “astonishing and heartfelt dedication” to supporting autistic young people with complex needs. 

Newbury MP Lee Dillon tabled an Early Day Motion following on Prior’s Court’s Children’s Home receiving an ‘outstanding’ rating in its latest Ofsted Care inspection at the end of 2025. 

The Early Day Motion reads: “That this House congratulates Prior’s Court Children Home after being awarded an overall Ofsted rating of Outstanding; praises the astonishing and heartfelt dedication of all Prior’s Court staff, allowing children with special education needs to achieve their potential; commends the strong relationships that have been built between staff and children to ensure that children feel safe and protected; notes that with over 1.7 million pupils in England having been identified with SEND, schools such as Prior’s Court Children Home highlight the life-changing impact of appropriate support for children with complex needs; and calls on the Government to introduce a bold, child-focused national framework for SEND in mainstream schools, so children can access help earlier and alleviate pressure on parents fighting for essential support.” 

Liberal Democrat MP Mr Dillon visited Prior’s Court in February last year to discuss the crucial role of residential SEND provisions and the impact of recent and upcoming Government policies on the sector. 

Lee Dillon MP, centre, with Ryan Campbell, Prior's Court CEO, and School Principal Helen Franks on a visit to Prior's Court in February 2025

Thanks to MP

Lisa Pothecary, Registered Manager for Prior’s Court’s Children’s Home, said: “It was a wonderful surprise to hear that Lee Dillon had put forward an Early Day Motion about our recent Ofsted ‘outstanding’. 

“We could not agree more that the route for successful outcomes of young people like those at Prior’s Court is built on strong relationships with staff that empower the young person to thrive.  

“Prior’s Court staff members deserve the recognition that Mr Dillon outlined his Motion – they are the backbone of everything that we do and their dedication helps make the young people in our care achieve the impossible and give their families the magic moments they never thought they would have.” 

What are Early Day Motions? 

Early Day Motions (EDMs) are motions submitted for debate in the House of Commons for which no day has been fixed.  As there is no specific time allocated to EDMs very few are debated.  EDMs are used to put on record the views of individual MPs or to draw attention to specific events or campaigns