Northleigh House School

Northleigh House School has a specialist focus on secondary-age pupils with school phobia who cannot attend mainstream education because of anxiety. That focus sits within a registered age range of 4 to 19, but this gives the provision a clear purpose: to make learning possible for pupils whose previous experience of school has become difficult or inaccessible.

Individual needs and interests shape the curriculum. Pupils work in small groups, with interventions and one-to-one teaching where appropriate, across academic, social and emotional development. A predictable day runs from 9.15am to 3pm, with five teaching periods and two registration points, providing a stable structure for a setting where confidence and attendance matter.

Key Stage 3 includes English, mathematics and science alongside art, cooking, digital skills, music, PE and woodwork. At Key Stage 4, a more bespoke timetable can include animal care, computer science, photography, psychology, outdoor adventure and life skills. GCSEs, Functional Skills, Cambridge qualifications, ASDAN and Entry Level Certificates are all part of the available qualification mix.

Applications come from local authorities in order of receipt and depend on a place being available and the provision being able to meet the pupil's needs. There is no formal entrance examination. The route can include an initial enquiry, a meeting with the parent or carer, consultation with relevant agencies, a visit, taster days or an assessment period before an offer is confirmed.