Chailey Heritage School

Our young people require a combination of high-level clinical input and specialist teaching, sometimes with a need for residential care.

Where a local authority recognises a child or young adult’s needs will be best met by our expertise and facilities, they will make a referral to us.

When a referral is made an Admission Assessment is held over two days. The assessment includes meetings with Paediatric Consultants, therapists, nurses, specialist teachers and care staff for those who want respite or boarding.

Following the assessment a multidisciplinary meeting is held to determine whether the child’s needs would be best met at Chailey Heritage School.

The assessment papers are then sent to the child’s local authority by Chailey Heritage School, and to their local PCT by Chailey Heritage Clinical Services. We will only offer places to children who we believe will benefit from our skills. The local authority and the local PCT then have to agree to fund the placement, and if they do, the child takes up their place.

We have a very good reputation amongst local authorities for being open about our fees and our processes, and we welcome all visits from local government officers. We always communicate with the local authority of a prospective pupil. Where a family is in dispute with their local authority, our role is simply to explain what we offer, and to give our opinion on how we would hope to benefit the child. We remain professional in our relationships and we can not make judgements on what a local authority’s schools can provide.