A specialist school for autistic children and young people in Muswell Hill has a new headteacher.

Joanna Dziopa has been appointed as the new head of Treehouse School, in Woodside Avenue.

She begins Treehouse with years of senior leadership experience in educational and social care settings, having joined from Queensmill School, another specialist school for autistic children and young people in Shepherd's Bush.

She said: “It is a privilege to have been appointed to this role and entrusted to take over the job of leading such a fantastic school.

“I’m coming into this role with great passion and enthusiasm to provide the very best education and learning opportunities to all children and young people.

“This is an exciting time for Treehouse School, and I am determined to do the very best for our learners and children and young people will always be at the heart of all my decision making.”

Treehouse was founded in 1997 by a group of parents, including author Nick Hornby, determined to provide better opportunities for autistic children and young people.

The school began life in a spare classroom at the Royal Free Hospital, in Hampstead, before moving to the specially built Pears National Centre for Autism in Woodside Avenue in 2009.

The school is run by charity Ambitious about Autism who said that Joanna has extensive knowledge of autism and has been involved in developing autism provision and delivering training to schools, teachers and other professionals.

The school leader is committed to advocating for the rights of autistic young people and their families and championing inclusion, autism acceptance, neurodiversity and neuro-harmony through her work, they said.

The charity now supports around 100 autistic pupils with learning disabilities aged four to 19 from across London and the Home Counties.

Viv Berkeley, Ambitious about Autism’s director of education, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Joanna to Treehouse School where she will continue to build on the school’s strengths and successes.

“Joanna is a champion of neurodiversity and shares our aspiration for every autistic child and young person to receive the best educational opportunities to prepare them for a happy and fulfilled adulthood.”