School for vulnerable children to open second site

Viv Morgan, who opened Northleigh House with her late husband in 2012, said she wanted to open a second site for several years

A small school for children who have left mainstream education through problems including anxiety, depression and bullying is soon to open a second site.

Northleigh House School, which was set up in 2012 by Viv Morgan and her late husband Fred in their own home, is expecting to soon sign contracts for a second house nearby.

The school in Hatton, Warwickshire, focuses on creating a "therapeutic learning environment", with the emphasis on kindness and respect, where vulnerable children can gain confidence.

Ms Morgan said it has seen an increasing number of people looking for places and had wanted to open a second site for several years.

The school in Five Ways Road has so far taught more than 170 children, aged between 11 and 17.

Ms Morgan said: "I am thrilled and excited about this new chapter of Northleigh history.

"We have been looking for a suitable place for a second Northleigh school for several years now and to find one on our doorstep is fantastic.

"We cannot wait to open the doors to our new starters."

Ms Morgan, who has an MBE for services to education, said of the school's ethos: "We have known for some time that happy children do well and flourish."

Northleigh House took on 10 new pupils this term and has reached its capacity of 30.

A school spokeswoman added there were eight children on the waiting list and it received many more inquiries for places.

Over the summer, there were more than 25 inquiries from parents who were finding a lack of support in mainstream education, she said, such as for children with learning difficulties, anxiety and ADHD.

"Many of these vulnerable children have been out of the school system for weeks, if not months and this obviously has a huge impact on their emotional wellbeing, as well as their family as a whole," she said.

Ms Morgan opened Northleigh House with her husband Fred, who died in 2017

The school's maintenance manager is at the new site daily, working out what needs to be done to adapt it from a house to a school, the spokeswoman added.

It has launched a GoFundMe page to help with the work and buy equipment and books, and has also appealed specifically for litter bins, notice boards, desks and chairs.

The school has also appealed for tradespeople and businesses "to help us speed up the process and come and help us out with either their time, or equipment or ideally both".

The planned work includes new wiring, widening the access route and help improving its "great outdoor space".