Potterspury Lodge School

Potterspury Lodge School is a Cambian Group school in Northamptonshire, England. It is a co-educational Independent School for 8-18 year olds that caters to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) alongside behavioural, SEMH, or barriers to learning. In 2024 the school achieved a "Good" rating from Ofsted. In August 2020 students achieved the best-ever grades in the school's 64-year history. The grades achieved far exceeded the national averages for special schools, with 25% of all passes in English and Maths achieved at Grades 9-5 against the national average for special schools of just 1% (DfE 2018/19 data).

Cambian Potterspury Lodge School
Location
Towcester England
Coordinates	52.0962°N 0.9118°W / 52.0962; -0.9118
Information
Type	Other Independent Special School
Established	1956
Specialist	Cambian Group
Department for Education URN	122136 Tables
Ofsted	Reports
Principal	Jenny Nimmo
Head of Education	Rhett Cameron
Registered Manager of Children's Home	Chris Pearce
Age	8 to 18
Enrolment	Pupil Admission Number (PAN) is 64, mixed gender admission
Houses	4 boarding houses
Colour(s)
Website	http://www.potterspurylodge.co.uk/

In January 2021 Ofsted awarded the residential provision Children's Home status; this has allowed the school to expand the capacity for the provision to admit 38 and 52-week students.

Location

Potterspury Lodge School is set in the countryside near where Northamptonshire borders Buckinghamshire. It is located on the A5 road between Towcester and Milton Keynes, and is roughly five miles away from Silverstone (where the British Grand Prix is held).

Sports

The school's grounds contain a sports field, an adventure playground, a fishing lake, a sports hall, a tennis court, a basketball court, and a skate park.

Curriculum

As an independent school, Potterspury Lodge sets its own curriculum which is constructed around students' needs and starting points. Students follow a broad and balanced curriculum with a core offer of English, Maths, and Science together with options such as Art, Food Technology, Geography, History, Media, Music, Physical Education, and Project Qualification. Students generally follow GCSE pathways at KS4 although some will engage with an Entry Level offer. At Sixth Form students follow a pathway to adulthood model with some engaging in college courses alongside their studies at the school to fully prepare for a successful transition post-18.

Special needs

Previously the school was mostly used for children who had problems behaving or being in a classroom situation but recently the profile of students is ASD hence students who are on the autism spectrum. The school employs a clinical psychologist, mental health nurse, highly specialised speech and language therapist, and occupational health practitioner. The school also benefits from a visiting consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist.

Acquirement by Cambian

In July 2015, Cambian Group bought the school. Cambian was then bought by US firm Caretech in 2018.

Gallery

• 
  Deer roaming in the school grounds
• 
  Boarding Houses
• 
  Front of Potterspury Lodge School
• 
  Road leading up to the school from the A5

External links

• Homepage
• [http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxedu_providers/full/(urn)/122136 Ofsted information
• Ofsted information part 2
• Ofsted notice to improve services July 2018