• 01244 604 063
  • hello@cumbershouse.co.uk
  • Cumbers House: Gredington, Hanmer, Whitchurch SY13 3DH
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Specialist semh school

A small school with big belief in every young person

Cumbers House is an independent special school where relationships come first, education is truly personalised and every young person is seen for who they are.
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Intentionally small
With a maximum of 20 pupils, every young person is known deeply. Not as a name on a register, but as a person with their own story.
A truly personalised path
We shape each day around the young person in front of us, blending academic learning, life skills and outdoor experience to fit who they are.
Relationships that hold steady
Our high staff ratio means consistent, trusted adults walking alongside every pupil, patiently, predictably and for the long haul.
Who we are

A school built with purpose

Cumbers House was created specifically to address a gap that too many families, carers and local authorities know all too well: the absence of a small, genuinely specialist and deeply humane provision for young people whose needs are complex, whose histories are significant and whose potential is often unseen.

 

We are built on a simple but powerful belief: that when the environment is right, when relationships are real and when education is truly personalised, every young person can make progress; not just academic progress, but the kind of social, emotional and personal growth that opens up possibilities for a better future.

 

Everything about Cumbers House; our size, our staffing model, our curriculum, our way of working, has been designed with that belief at its centre.

For local authorities

Considering a referral? Learn about our admissions process, fee structure and how we work alongside virtual school heads, social workers and personal advisors.
Make a referral

For families & carers

Looking for the right school for your young person? We’d love to hear from you. Find out how Cumbers House works, what makes us different and how to get in touch.
Get in touch

Our model: flexible, personal, ambitious

Rather than asking young people to fit a fixed structure, we build the structure around them — around their readiness, their strengths, their pace, and their individual pathway. There is always a way in. There is always a next step.

One to one sessions

Focused, tailored teaching and support; building skills, confidence and the foundations of re-engagement.

Small group learning

Groups of two to five pupils; collaborative, structured and a stepping stone toward broader social learning.

Outdoor & wellbeing

Movement, nature, and wellbeing built into the timetable, because learning happens far beyond the classroom.

Our leadership team

Skilled. Caring. Commited.

A small group of professionals united by a genuine belief in the young people we work with and a commitment to getting this right.
Tara Jones

Headteacher

With deep experience in special education and a passion for trauma-informed practice, our Headteacher leads the school with warmth, clarity, and an unwavering belief in every young person.
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Fiona Conde

Deputy Head

Bringing specialist SEMH expertise and a background in supporting children in care, our Deputy ensures that every operational detail serves the wellbeing and progress of our pupils.
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Shaun Buxton

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The curriculum

A framework, not a formula

Aligned with Curriculum for Wales, shaped by every young person’s IDP and built around what’s genuinely meaningful for them.

Six areas of learning & experience

Ages 11-16

Our curriculum is fully aligned with Curriculum for Wales, delivered with care, adapted to each pupil’s IDP and offered at the level that’s genuinely right for them.
  • Entry level certificate
  • Essential skills Wales
  • GCSEs where appropriate
Languages, literacy and communication
English & Welesh
Mathematics and numeracy
Functional & applied
Science and technology
English & Welesh
Health and wellbeing
Movement and PSHE
Humanities
People, place and purpose
Expressive arts
Voice, craft and creativity
Preparing for adulthood

Ages 16-19

Our post-16 pathway is built around each young person’s IDP outcomes and aspirations, aligned with the ALN Code for Wales 2021 and the Preparing for Adulthood framework.
  • Vocational pathways
  • Independent living
  • Sustainable desitnations
City & Guilds
Vocational qualifications
ASDAN
Including Towards Independence
NCFE
Accredited courses
Essential Skills Wales

Literacy, numeracy & ICT

Employability
Work Readiness programmes
Independence
Life skills for adulthood
How it works

The beliefs that shape everything we do

Our ethos is not a set of aspirations we revisit once a year. It is the active, daily reality of how we teach, how we listen, how we respond, and how we make decisions.

Engagement before everything

We know that without genuine connection to learning, nothing else is possible. Engagement is our first goal and our primary measure of progress.

Inclusion without compromise

Every young person that attends Cumbers House belongs here, fully and without reservation. We adapt to them as individuals, not the other way around.

Relationships as the foundation

Trust is built through consistency, honesty and care. We invest deeply in relationships because we know they are what make everything else possible.

How it works

Our admissions process

Behind every referral is a young person who needs the right place. Our process is thorough, because getting the match right matters, but as straightforward as we can make it.
01

Initial enquiry

Contact our admissions team by phone or email. We’re happy to discuss a young person’s needs informally. No commitment required.
02

Documentation

Submit the YP’s IDP/education care plan, care chronologies, risk assessment and professional reports. All documents will be treated with strict confidentiality.
03

Review & matching

Our leadership team reviews carefully; not only whether we can meet their needs, but whether our current environment is the right match.
04

Pre-placement

Visit the school, ask questions, and make sure everyone is confident about the next steps.
05

Placement planning

Before their first day, we develop an Individual Education Pathway, plan their timetable, and identify their key worker.
06

First day & beyond

We move at their pace — and we are with them every step of the way.

A school is best understood in person

Words on a page can only carry you so far. Visit us on a normal working day; meet the team, walk the corridors and get a real feel for the rhythm of life here. Tea is on, and there are no scripted tours.
Arrange a visit

Latest from cumbers house

News, stories & small celebrations

We share what’s happening at Cumbers House honestly… the quiet wins and everyday moments that, for our community, are worth pausing to mark.
Get in touch

We'd love to hear from you

Prefer to talk directly? We’re happy to take a call, answer an email, or arrange a visit to the school at a pace that works for you.
  • 01244 604 063
  • hello@cumbershouse.co.uk
  • www.cumbershouse.co.uk
  • Cumbers House: Gredington, Hanmer, Whitchurch SY13 3DH

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