An introduction to Grafham Grange School

Grafham Grange School is a successful non-maintained special school. It consists of several impressive residential and educational buildings set in 42 acres of Surrey countryside at Grafham, near Guildford, and is easily accessible by road and rail.

Grafham Grange School is committed to promoting both equality and diversity, whilst tackling any form of discrimination through an inclusive curriculum and schools ethos; which not only reflects our diverse society but also seeks to remove any barriers to access, participation, progression, attainment and achievement.

The school has residential places for 44 boys / young men aged 10-19 years who require special residential education to help them manage a variety of behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD) and complex needs. These include pupils with ASD, Asperger’s syndrome, and ADHD, for example. Provision is weekly boarding, and there is a 24-hour curriculum to promote structured socialisation and learning experiences including full access to the National Curriculum. In addition, there are 8 day places for boys who require this level of provision.

Small teaching groups are available to all pupils and the school has a highly-skilled and experienced staff , including specialist therapists and an 'outreach' team to support pupils' parents and families. Pupil progress is often outstanding and personal achievements very significant.

Formerly an ILEA residential school, Grafham Grange was granted charitable, non- maintained status in 1994 by the DFES - the first such school to achieve this status. It is very successful in helping pupils to overcome their emotional and behavioural difficulties.

Focused on promoting emotional health and intelligence, it has a high success rate in helping pupils who have failed in other educational settings to succeed both academically (up to 8 GCSEs and a large range of other externally assessed qualifications) and socially. In 2009-2010, 100% of boys have moved on to further education, apprenticeships and work. The School offers weekly boarding for 38 weeks. The residential facilities are excellent; additionally, boys have the support of an art therapist, family/pupil support therapists, speech and language therapist and a Consultant Psychiatrist.

Our Pupils

  • We will consider for admission any boy aged between 10 and 19 who is:
  • Statemented with Special Educational Needs
  • Academically underachieving, but with the potential to make progress in the right environment
  • Demonstrating behavioural difficulties linked mainly to: social, emotional factors, poor self-esteem, lack of confidence
  • In need of support for his family whilst he attends school
  • Living in an established home base, within reasonable distance of the school (up to two hours approximate journey time)
  • Consideration will additionally be given to:
  • Pupils with milder forms of Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or specific learning difficulties (Dyslexia)
  • Diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), with or without medication

What OFSTED says about Grafham Grange:

  • Pupils make good progress in learning and very good progress in their personal and social development.
  • Teaching is good and the procedures to care for the boys are very good
  • Provides teaching that enables pupils to learn and be successful in lessons, often for the first time in their school life
  • Very high quality care helps pupils to improve their behaviour and develop their personal and social skills
  • Provides an excellent range of additional activities for pupils to take part in after each school day
  • The very good teaching in art enables pupils to achieve very well, including a few who achieve high grades at GCSE