The Tree House International School

 

At The Tree House International School children are looked upon as a whole and they believe that academic success alone does not guarantee independence or meaningful inclusion in society.

 

We had a chat with Dr. Anton James, Founder and Director of the school.

 

 

The Tree House International School is the result of more than 20 years of planning. It goes back to my own childhood in Sri Lanka, where I was undiagnosed and unable to attend school due to neurodevelopmental differences. I self-studied for my GCSEs because mainstream schooling was inaccessible to me. As a teenager in Canada, I was formally identified as neurodivergent, and for the first time, my entire life experience made sense.

 

That realisation led to a conscious decision to return to Sri Lanka and create the school I never had access to. I spent over two decades studying, training, and preparing to do this properly. The school was incorporated in 2020 and launched in 2022 during the Aragalaya period, at a time when many professionals were leaving the country. The special needs sector was one of the most severely affected, and returning to open the school during that period was a deliberate decision to protect one of the most vulnerable groups in society.

 

The Tree House International School is the first and only international school in Sri Lanka exclusively for children with special educational needs. It is a unique model led by a Chartered Educational Assessor, Chartered Scientist, and Chartered Behavioural Psychologist, offering a holistic curriculum with a strong focus on independence and long term outcomes.

 

 

Every student follows an Individualised Education Plan that is holistic in nature. The focus is not limited to academics but includes communication, social development, cognitive development, daily living skills, individualised targets, and barriers to learning.

 

For academics, we are the only organisation in Sri Lanka offering the UK approved Functional Skills curriculum. This curriculum focuses on practical academic skills that directly support independent living, rather than rote academic performance alone.

 

 

We have more teachers than students. Based on individual needs, many students receive one to one support, particularly in the early stages. The long term objective is to gradually transition students to small group learning, mainstream education, or vocational pathways.

 

This model allows us to implement the curriculum with precision, collect data, monitor progress objectively, and adjust teaching strategies accordingly. Senior staff are recruited from overseas because there are currently no locally qualified professionals with the level of training and experience required to supervise this work to international standards. The model combines best practice from the United Kingdom and the United States.

 

 

 

We work with trained professionals to deliver structured extracurricular programmes including cycling, wall climbing, badminton, and swimming. We use a unique evidence-based approach to teaching bicycle riding, and the majority of our students successfully learn to ride.

 

One of our students has gone on to win a gold medal at a Special Needs Olympics event. This reflects our broader focus on physical confidence, independence, and meaningful participation rather than competition alone.

 

 

Our approach is grounded in evidence- based practice, including Applied Behaviour Analysis combined with sensory processing strategies integrated into daily teaching.

 

All certified Behaviour Therapists in Sri Lanka have been trained through The Tree House International School, ensuring consistent professional standards. All staff are certified.

 

An equivalent ABA infused education programme in private schools overseas typically costs up to ten times more. We provide the same evidence-based education at a fraction of the cost, without compromising quality.

 

The school is led by Ms Chrystal Honsaker and Dr. Anton James, both of whom have over 20 years of experience and hold certifications in Applied Behaviour Analysis across multiple jurisdictions. I am also recognised internationally as a Subject Matter Expert in Behaviour Analysis, a Chartered Educational Assessor, a Chartered Psychologist, and a Chartered Scientist in education.

 

We are recognised by major embassies in Sri Lanka and work in collaboration with government ministries, including active collaboration with the Maldivian government.

 

Our pedagogy is unique, combining holistic education with strong parental satisfaction and measurable outcomes.

 

 

 

 

I am certified in Applied Behaviour Analysis across multiple countries including Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, and I serve as a Subject Matter Expert in the field. In 2024, I received the highest designation awarded by the British Psychological Society.

 

In 2025, my evidence-based work in education was recognised through my designation as a Chartered Scientist by the British Science Council, reflecting my role as an educational scientist.

 

 

All special needs teachers at our school are internationally certified Behaviour Therapists regulated by the International Behaviour Analysis Organisation. They are bound by strict ethical and professional standards, supervision requirements, and ongoing continuing professional development obligations.

 

 

In Sri Lanka, education for children with special needs has traditionally focused almost exclusively on academics. However, academic success alone does not guarantee independence or meaningful inclusion in society. Many children have multiple co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, sensory processing differences, or communication challenges.

 

We look at the child as a whole and support development across academic, psychological, behavioural, physical, cognitive, social, emotional, communication, and sensory domains. Even within academics, the focus is on functional application to real life rather than abstract performance.

 

 

Merak is our charity arm, which organised Sri Lanka’s largest autism awareness event in 2023 with over sixteen hundred participants. This year, our aim is to ensure that at least one person from every household encounters the word autism in Sri Lanka. We are building the longest sensory wall in the world in collaboration with Guinness Record.

The message is embedded in the medium itself and focuses on autism awareness, inclusion, creativity, and communities coming together to better understand neurodiversity.