St Catherine's School

Since 2020, Mrs Sarah Thompson BSc. Head of school, 16-19 college and post-19 provision (run by a separate charity). Born and raised on the Isle of Wight, she returned after completing maths and teaching degree (Exeter), the first in family to go to

Around 10 applications per place. Some pupils will previously have attended a mainstream school or come from special schools elsewhere. All have EHCPs (no self-funders). Primary area of need must be speech and language and may sometimes include

Some school and sixth form leavers with a particular interest in eg horticulture or catering might move to a specialist college. Others have taken performing arts degrees, leading to music-related professions. The aim is that as many students as

Academic studies are intertwined with therapy (speech and language and occupational therapy) and life skills so that pupils emerge with better communication skills and confidence as well as qualifications – and on the way ‘become their true selves’,

Exceptional performing arts are showcased to admiring public at the summer fair (and sometimes at Bestival). Music room houses drum kit and keyboards, and there’s a school choir and band. Individual lessons (vocals, piano, guitar, wind and brass

Major team sport is football (school team plays matches with other local squads) and school grounds include attractive (and sloped) grassy area with multi-use games area and an outdoor gym (additional equipment at sixth form college is used for

Weekly boarding for school and college pupils, staff escorting to and from Portsmouth or Lymington on Fridays and Sundays. Currently just one boarding house in school – St Christopher’s – for pupils aged 11+, co-ed but all boys when we visited.

The bees’ knees. Therapy may be individual, in group sessions or in-class support. School looks at EHCPs but, as ‘they’re usually out of date by the time they’re published’, will base therapy goals on actual needs, based on assessment when a pupil

Nothing left to chance – from break-time clubs to school pupils struggling with playground bustle to keeping a close eye on smartphone usage. (Strict rules include compulsory installation of content management app.) Zones of regulation reminders

Around 30 per cent of school pupils are girls, dropping to 20 per cent in the sixth form and 10 per cent in the post-19 provision. Growing number of day pupils in school and sixth form college live on the island. Most boarders from London and

All pupils local authority funded.

Kind, caring speech and language specialist school and college. St Catherine's seamlessly integrates teaching and therapy and moulds its approach to the individual child, helped by location in a secure, welcoming community that holds the school very