Since 1991, Blairwood Academy has been Nassau's home for children who learn differently. We were built on the belief that every child can succeed — they may just need a different path to get there.
Blairwood Academy exists to serve children who have been told they cannot learn — and to prove that they can. Through small class sizes, individualized instruction, and the science-backed Orton-Gillingham method, we give every student the tools they need to read, write, communicate, and thrive.
We serve students from age 2½ to 21, across our Early Years, Primary, and Secondary programs. No matter where a child starts, our goal is the same: to send them into the world with confidence, skills, and a belief in themselves.
Blairwood Academy was founded in Nassau in 1991 to fill a gap that no other school in The Bahamas was filling — specialized, individualized education for children with learning differences.
What began as a small program has grown into a full school serving children from toddlers through young adults. Approximately ten years ago, we added our Early Intervention Program after seeing how many children arrived at primary school already struggling — and how much of that could have been prevented with earlier support.
Today, Blairwood is recognized across Nassau as the school families turn to when the traditional system has not worked for their child.
Every classroom at Blairwood is built around the Orton-Gillingham method — a multisensory, evidence-based approach proven to help children with dyslexia and language-based learning differences.
No two children are the same. Every Blairwood student has a plan built specifically for them — their pace, their strengths, their goals. We don't teach to the class; we teach to the child.
We believe parents are partners, not bystanders. From home visits in our Early Years program to open communication with every family, we work together to support each child's success.
The earlier we reach a child, the more we can do. Our Early Years program exists because we believe no child should arrive at primary school already behind — if we can prevent it, we will.
For older students, education must connect to life. Our Vocational & Life Skills program teaches budgeting, job skills, cooking, and entrepreneurship — because success after school is the goal.
Every child who walks through our doors is treated with dignity. Learning differently is not a deficit — it is a different path. At Blairwood, that path is honored.
The school opens in Nassau with a small group of students and a clear mission: to serve children who learn differently and give them the individualized attention the traditional system could not provide.
Blairwood formally adopts the Orton-Gillingham multisensory method as its core instructional approach, training all teachers in the science-based reading program.
After seeing how many children arrived at primary school already struggling, Blairwood creates its Early Years program for children ages 2–5 — including home visits to support families directly.
The Secondary School adds a Vocational & Life Skills track with real community job placement, and launches an entrepreneurship program where students build and sell their own products.
Blairwood Academy continues to grow, serving students across three programs with class ratios as small as 5:1, and remaining Nassau's only school fully dedicated to children with learning differences.
Call us at 242-698-3304 or email to arrange a visit.
Whether you're a parent exploring options or a donor looking to make a difference, we'd love to hear from you.