Bennerley Fields is a special school that caters for a wide range of need including children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and moderate learning difficulties (MLD). The majority of pupils in school have complex learning difficulties. The pupils are taught in small class groups alongside their peers, support is given according to need, there tends to be 1 teacher and 2 teaching assistants with up to 9 pupils in the primary department and support given according to need in the senior department with up to 12 pupils in these classes. There is a flexible approach to the curriculum to meet the needs of individual pupils but with a high focus on language, social skills and independence. Signing and symbols are part of a general class approach. The school is divided in to 3 departments and 3 play grounds which give children the feeling of maturing as they move through school. There are specialist teachers in music, art and design and technology. Inclusion in to mainstream is available if appropriate and pupils take a wide range of accredited courses on leaving school. Volunteers may be accepted to work with the pupils and all volunteers may be police checked. In future, there will be an increased focus on working with children with autism (led by Derbyshire County Council Special Needs Review), in the first instance the younger age range of the school.