SINGAPORE - A new school for students with autism and intellectual disability will start operating in June at the former site of APSN Chaoyang School in Ang Mo Kio.

It will admit only autism spectrum disorder-intellectual disability (ASD-ID) students, unlike the Association for Persons with Special Needs’ four other schools, which serve students with intellectual disability.

The new school will include elements to meet the needs of students with autism. For example, class sizes will be smaller and educators will use more visual support structures such as charts.

APSN Education Services board chairman Anthony Fok said the association has seen a rising number of ASD-ID students, attributing it to earlier detection and parents becoming more aware of intervention options.

“To move into this area, we needed to train our staff. We have gone on learning journeys to other SPED (special education) schools to learn the best practices from them, and we’re also thankful that they are willing to share,” said Dr Fok.

He was speaking to The Straits Times on April 10 at APSN’s 50th anniversary celebration, which was held at Marina Bay Sands.

The new school will begin as a programme with 50 Primary 1 students in 2026, and take in a batch of similar size in 2027. When fully established, it will support students between ages seven and 18.

It is the first of three new SPED schools slated to open by the early 2030s to cater to an increasing number of students diagnosed with ASD-ID in Singapore.

The other two...