I am delighted to welcome you to The William Henry Smith School & Sixth Form, part of The Smith Foundation.
A vibrant community, existing with fluidity, across three sites and providing outstanding education, care, health and therapy. Scaffolded by relationships and steeped in trauma infused knowledge and practice that looks beyond presenting behaviour, we are proud of a workforce who take responsibility for the why. We place our children and young adults at the heart of everything we do and the decisions we make; we have a workforce who appreciate the advantages and value of continuous learning, embedding a workplace culture that encourages and prioritises continuous improvement.
As the CEO of the foundation, I believe that education is a most powerful force, it opens our minds to possibilities, and helps us face life’s challenges with optimism. Yet, firstly and crucially, our job is to provide our children and young adults with a safe and nurturing hopeful place of being, a place where they belong, a place where mistakes are our opportunity to learn; where meaningful relationships, compassion and curiosity are non-negotiable.
Our learning experiences and environments are rich and support our children and young adult's happiness; only when we are happy and supported, can we thrive and become the best we can be. A strong culture and leadership with true authenticity is a mantra I hold strong; we work and live to support our children, young adults, their families and our supporting staff, and where we can reach out and support beyond we will.
Sue Ackroyd
CEO/Executive Principal
Tuesday 19th - Thursday 21st November
We primarily offer Day and Residential Education and Care to boys over four nights a week from our school in Brighouse, West Yorkshire. We can also accommodate flexible Extended Day placements and bespoke learning pathways in our specialist environment.
We provide a 24 hour, integrated curriculum with sensory strategies, communication interventions, exceptional therapeutic services and family outreach. Improving Quality of Life underpins all our work.
We are proud to have received an Ofsted judgement of ‘Outstanding’ in all areas across the school (November 2023) and have been Ofsted Social Care 'Outstanding' for 19 consecutive inspections.
We are proud to be a part of The Smith Foundation. To learn more about The Smith Foundation and what they do click the link below
The school functions as a mutually beneficial community, where staff and students experience everyday life alongside each other (we raise thousands of pounds each year for our chosen charities). We are passionate and committed to sharing our practice and providing school to school support. Further publications, conference appearances, teaching commitments and research related to ACE’s (Adverse Childhood Experiences) and trauma are current projects.
Beyond our doorstep, the school has a presence as a national and international centre of excellence within the SEN sector. We regularly present at conferences and universities in the fields of Education and Mental Health. Our Creative Psychotherapy team has a wealth of experience in working with complex and developmental trauma. We are heavily involved with national memberships such as Engage, and NASS and have been active in setting up and hosting the NASS Teaching and Learning peer review group across the North. We make a valuable contribution, including consultancy, specialist training and support to schools requiring improvement and, advice to other social care provisions locally, regionally and nationally.
We encourage parents and carers to share their feedback by completing the WHSS parents questionnaire.
You can also share your views with Ofsted through Parent View, which allows you to see how other parents feel about our school too.
Your insights are invaluable in helping us improve our services and create a better environment for students.
We are always on the lookout for passionate, dedicated professionals who are eager to make a positive impact on the lives of young people.
Joining our team means being part of a supportive community, where your personal and professional growth is encouraged.
Explore our current vacancies and discover how you can contribute to the success and development of our students at WHSS.
