Columbus School and College has been established after an interesting journey dating back to 2000. CSC was formerly two separate special needs schools in Chelmsford –Woodlands School in Patching Hall Lane and The Hayward School in Maltese Road.

Woodlands School catered for children with profound and multiple learning difficulties and complex learning difficulties aged 3 – 19 years and Hayward School catered for children with moderate learning difficulties and autism aged 4 – 16.

The two schools federated in 2005 to form Chelmsford New Model Special School with a single governing body. There were two campuses – Woodlands Campus and Hayward Campus.

On 1 September, 2009 the two schools formally amalgamated to form Columbus School and College. The School Campus in Patching Hall Lane currently has children aged from Nursery to Year 10 and the College Campus in Maltese Road currently has students from Year 7 to Year 11. There is an FE Department on College Campus which has students from Year 12 to Year 14.

Graded as 'outstanding' by Ofsted in February 2010, Columbus is a leading all age special school for children and young people with severe and profound learning difficulties. The school became an academy in May 2012 and is now part of the Academies Enterprise Trust. Columbus delivers an outstanding education to their students in their new, purpose built environment.