How do we give some of our most vulnerable young people an education that allows them to flourish and reach their fullest potential? What would a school for students who don’t fit the mould of mainstream education look like? How do we create a curriculum that aims at nurturing the whole of the student and not just at getting grades? These were the questions we had at the front of our minds when we were designing and establishing the vision for the Orange Tree School – a new independent provision in Whetstone, North London for children aged 11-18 with social, emotional, and mental health needs.  

In the end, it turned out that very little formal debate was needed to come up with concrete answers to these questions. All of the senior leadership team had known for a long time that such a school was needed and knew what was necessary to get there. In order to understand why this was the case, let me take you through the story behind the Orange Tree School.  

It all began at the Ellern Mede School for children and young people with eating disorders in Mill Hill, North London where the seed for the Orange Tree was sown. Over the past 20 years at Ellern Mede School, many of us had witnessed firsthand countless examples of the devastation that mental health conditions can cause. However, we had also seen how young people’s lives can be repaired and re-oriented through a therapeutic approach to education that involved a collaborative “multi-disciplinary team” of education and healthcare professionals. We knew how children who were at the lowest points in their lives could be transformed and flourish both in their academics and as happy, healthy and active members of society.   

And yet, despite the excellent outcomes that we were achieving in our small hospital school, it appeared to many of us, both as parents and as educators, that we were continuing to face the sad reality that despite the increasing awareness and pro-active advocacy from all corners of the world, the mainstream education system was fragile, and had been for years. Such fragilities were more starkly exposed by the Covid-19 pandemic which resulted in a mental health crisis among children and young people that few could ignore.  

With these facts in mind, we had the impetus to transform our longstanding practice of transformative education into action within a broader setting. We would create a school for those who didn’t fit the mould that the education system had tried to squeeze them into. We would make a school that showed that they could be the norm and not the exception. We would put all their needs first and adapt to meet them, rather than the other way around. 

We therefore founded The Orange Tree School – under the wing of Ellern Mede School – driven by the belief that, with our tried and tested approach to education, we can make a profound difference to children with complex social, emotional, and mental health needs.  

But how do we actually go about doing this? How do we make this idea a reality? The first thing we do is, like any successful organisation, invest in high quality staff. From our teachers to our support staff to the specialist SEN/Inclusion team, everyone is an expert in their subject area and understands the complexities of the children that they are working with. Secondly, we keep our teaching groups small – no larger than eight. This means that students can get the attention they need, any difficulties can be quickly identified, and support is efficiently implemented as necessary. Thirdly, we have a broad and balanced curriculum that emphasises crucial skills such as independent research and creativity and gives students the freedom to dig deeper, explore new ideas, and develop their own interests. Next, there is therapeutic support led by a team of clinical professionals so that structured interventions can be effectively carried out. Lastly, we have built a warm and caring community that is built upon strong networks of support, so that no child is left behind. 

We take a whole-school approach to SEMH education, and no one holds us to higher standards than ourselves. We believe that every part of the school - the admissions process, curriculum design, therapeutic support, enrichment activities – has to work in harmony to produce the best outcomes for our students. Always looking to improve, we are guided by the understanding that we will always put their needs first. If that means making changes to our practice or learning a new skill, then this is what we will do. No detail or idea is too small for us to act upon. 

We are still in our early days, and yet the response we have received from our students and their families has been extremely positive. Though no two weeks have been the same, I am constantly reminded of the reasons why we started in the first place - from students learning to do things that they once thought were impossible, to the ear-to-ear grins on the faces of once shy pupils, to the quiet confidence that says, ‘I’ve found the school for me’. There is a lovely atmosphere that I feel from the moment I step foot on the school grounds; an atmosphere that tells me I am part of something very special.  

We all look forward to welcoming you to our Orange Tree community. To start your Orange Tree journey today, please use the “contact us” page.