FAQs

Does my son have to have a Statement to attend Breckenbrough?

All boys who attend Breckenbrough have to have a Statement that names Breckenbrough as the school that will provide the education they need. If your son is having difficulties at school and does not have a statement there is a Fact Sheet with a guide to the process on www.autismlondon.org.uk.

I think Breckenbrough is the right school for my son. What should I do next?

Please contact Diane Walker at the school, diane.walker@breckenbrough.org.uk or telephone 01845 587238. She will organize for you to talk to staff who can advise you honestly about the suitability of Breckenbrough for your son. If you would like to visit the school, this can also be organized by Diane.

Do you take girls as well as boys?

Breckenbrough’s specialism is boys who have needs that cannot be met by mainstream schools. We know that there are girls who are diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome and ADHD but our premises are limited in size and we currently could not offer suitable accommodation for girls.

I’ve heard that the fees are very high. How can I afford to send my son to Breckenbrough?

Rest assured. All boys who enter Breckenbrough are financed by their Local Authority and parents or guardians are not expected to pay the fees.

I’m finding it difficult to convince my Local Authority that our son needs to go to Breckenbrough. What can I do?

We have a number of parents, past and present, who’ve had experience of having to be very determined in order to get their Local Authority to agree to name Breckenbrough in a Statement. If you contact Gilly Charters (gilly.charters@breckenbrough.org.uk or 01423 545188) she will put you in contact with a parent who can explain some ways of tackling this.

We live about an hour’s drive away. Could our son attend as a day pupil?

We have a number of boys who are brought to school by taxi which is organized by the Local Authority. Some boys start their Breckenbrough life like this because they don’t like the idea of staying away from home. Many boys later decide that they’d like to be part of the total Breck experience and ask to board.

If my son attends as a day boy will the therapeutic aspects of Breckenbrough be less effective?

All our boys are individuals with differing needs. We have successful outcomes with the vast majority of our pupils – those who attend as full boarders, those who board weekly and our day boys. Our staff are all very experienced and can offer you advice. (See how to arrange a visit above)

Can you offer help with my son’s behaviour at home?

We have a chartered counselling psychologist who is also a chartered scientist. She undertakes home visits as part of the support that Breckenbrough offers to parents.

Will I lose any say in what my son does once he starts at Breckenbrough?

At Breckenbrough we work very closely with parents in an equal partnership to ensure a successful outcome for your son. Our aim is that our pupils will be able to access sixth form or college provision close to where they live so maintaining good links with home is very important to us.

My son has had very poor SATS results so far. Does this mean he is not academic enough to attend Breckenbrough?

We recognize that many of our pupils will not have shown their true potential at school so far. If we consider that your son has many of the characteristics of someone who can benefit from attending Breckenbrough we will give him an opportunity to show this during a trial period at the school.

My son has never been an ‘outdoors’ type. How will he cope at Breckenbrough?

You’ll have noticed that Outdoor Education is an important feature of the Breckenbrough experience. The outdoor element is introduced gradually and most boys find, often to their surprise, that they get a real sense of achievement from this aspect of the curriculum. Frequently boys say that they remember feeling apprehensive about the outdoors before coming to Breckenbrough but that this is now what they most enjoy about the school week.

I can see that Breckenbrough is in a rather isolated location. Does this mean our son won’t meet anyone other than other ‘difficult’ boys?

We often take our boarders into both Thirsk and Northallerton after the school day and have links with a variety of local groups in these towns that can offer a variety of experiences such as the local cadet group and swimming clubs. Come and have a look around the school and see what our ‘difficult’ boys are like. Many parents can’t believe how supportive, friendly and organized boys are at Breckenbrough.

Our son flatly refuses to consider coming to a boarding school.

Our approach is very different from that at other boarding schools and, whatever your son may be worried about, we may be able to allay his fears when you both visit us. However, we know from experience that we can only work successfully with boys who want to come to Breckenbrough. If your son wants to stay with you and you live more than an hour’s drive away from the school you may wish to look at alternative provision.

I want to know more about the history of Breckenbrough school.

Rob Knox (Deputy Head)  has written an up to date history of the school which is now available from Breckenbrough at a cost of £5 including post and packing. Please send a cheque to the school to get a copy.