St Catherine’s is the only UK day and residential school and therapy provider which specialises in pupils who have speech, language and communication needs, aged from 9 to 25 years old. Located on the Isle of Wight, our school is close to the local ferry that takes students from the surrounding area of Portsmouth.

We believe every child has their own unique skills & talents, and understand the challenges & struggles they face, where more often than not, students have struggled with mainstream education. Parents have fought hard to find the very best environment where their child can thrive. Our school works to understand each child, and we have a team that believes in their ability to succeed. We know this – because parents have told us repeatedly – that discovering St Catherine’s is often an ‘at last!’ moment of joy.

St Catherine’s supports young people via our Speech & Language Therapy School (ages 9-16), Sixth Form College (16-19) and Post 19 Provision (19-25). Each student has their own individual tailored programme (i.e. in terms of content, pace, and levels of support) which allows for their own specific needs to be met, with each class with less than 10 students per study group, including one teacher and teaching assistant. This allows us to address communication challenges and language impairment issues that students might struggle with in class.

Each student has an integrated programme of support, combining speech & language therapy with occupational therapy; this can be one-to-one, in pairs or small groups, class-based, or specialist support through the use of augmentative communication devices, and signed supported English.

St Christopher’s is the main residential house for our school-age students who are boarding at St Catherines’, led by a Residential Manager, team leaders, and a ‘key worker’ for each student. Together, this team offers a multi-layered support system, which provides a warm & supportive family environment for your child.

“The school’s curriculum and assessment systems have been carefully considered to celebrate each step forward that pupils make and identify any significant barriers. This approach is particularly well developed in relation to pupils’ speech and communication, where the school excels.”

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If you feel that St Catherine’s School might be the right placement for your child, then please first complete our Enquiry Form. Your child must have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) in place, which details that the student has a significant language disorder to be considered for admission. Once we have reviewed your admission and feel we can support your child, we will invite you to attend one of our Open Days with your child.

We look forward to hearing from you soon and seeing how we can positively help your child reach their full potential.