Darwin School

At Darwin School, a maximum roll of 24 gives its therapeutic, trauma-informed re-engagement model a practical scale. Pupils aged 11 to 16 work in a setting centred on safety and relationships, with an educational plan shaped around the young person rather than a single standard timetable.

The curriculum is personalised and flexible across English, mathematics, sciences, humanities, Health and Wellbeing and Expressive Arts. Individual pathways can include GCSEs, Functional Skills, ASDAN, King's Trust, vocational experiences and work-based learning. Learning may happen in the classroom, online, outdoors or in the community, depending on the plan and the point a pupil has reached.

Renovated classrooms include a life-skills kitchen, science laboratory, games hall, nurture hub and outdoor horticulture areas. Outdoor skills, equine therapy, creative workshops and environmental projects add practical routes into learning, while relational routines, emotional-regulation work and access to the Pebbles psychology team support the therapeutic model.

Admissions are referral-led throughout the year. Information is considered from local authorities, care providers, families, previous settings and other professionals. Each young person completes a My Voice profile, which shapes an individual re-engagement plan; some pupils begin with a phased transition before moving into a fuller programme. The setting is open and co-educational, but no outcome rating is included here.