The Forest School

Welcome to The Forest School

At The Forest School, we are proud to welcome you to our school! Based in Knaresborough and operating as a proud member of the Wellspring Academy Trust, our aim is simple: to provide a place of friendship, respect, and excellence for children and young people from Early Years to Year 11 (ages 3 to 16) who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

Led by a leadership team with a proven track record of building outstanding trust provisions from the ground up and delivering rapid, life changing turnarounds, our children are at the absolute centre of everything we do. From the moment you step through our doors, you will find a welcoming, family type atmosphere where clear, open communication with our families is at the heart of how we work.

As a Specialist College for Communication and Interaction, we invite our students to come on a unique learning journey with us. We help young people develop lasting friendships with their peers while sharing their learning experiences, encouraging all of our pupils to respect themselves and others as they strive for excellence both academically and personally.

Our Core Mission

We believe that the sky is the limit for our pupils in terms of what they can achieve, anchoring everything we do in three core pillars to enable everyone to reach their full potential:

• An Excellently Sequenced Curriculum: Our curriculum is well designed, highly structured, and carefully sequenced for all starting points. This work has an immediate, daily impact inside our classrooms, ensuring every child receives a meaningful and engaging education.

• A Priority on Reading Development: Literacy is a cornerstone of our school. Our tailored reading programme is deeply embedded across all year groups, ensuring that every single student, regardless of their starting point, is actively taught and supported to learn to read.

• Specialist Communication & Complex Care: As a Specialist College, we provide expert care for a diverse range of complex needs, including Moderate and Severe Learning Difficulties (MLD / SLD), Autism, ADHD, and physical or medical conditions, specifically supporting the 94% of our school population with Speech, Language, and Communication Needs (SLCN).

Join Our Team

Great schools are built by great people. As a member of The Forest School team, you will work within close knit classroom dynamics where your growth is heavily supported. We invest deeply in our staff, offering a rich professional landscape that includes:

• Full, Expert Training: New to special education? We welcome applicants from all backgrounds, including college or university graduates and career changers, and offer a high quality induction programme and ongoing training.

• Career Development: As a part of the growing Wellspring Academy Trust, our roles offer guaranteed professional development and clear career pathways. 

• Diverse Contract Pathways: We value lifestyle balance and offer a variety of contract choices to suit your needs, including permanent full time, part time, and flexible casual or relief positions.

• A Great Balance: A supportive staff culture where you can make a massive, life changing impact during the school day, and leave work completely at the door when you clock out to enjoy your evenings and weekends.

Working at The Forest School isn't just a job; it's an opportunity to collaborate with a team of inspirational practitioners and make a tangible difference in children's lives every day.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

The safety and well being of our pupils are at the absolute heart of everything we do. We firmly believe that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Working closely with our families, carers, and local partners, we maintain a secure, deeply supportive environment where every child is protected and can learn with confidence.

Find out more by clicking here!

Why Join Our Talent Pool?

If we don't have any suitable vacancies available, we encourage you to register for our Talent Pool. When applying, you aren't just joining a waiting list, you are positioning yourself at the front of the line for a rewarding career. When a suitable vacancy opens, our talent pool is our first port of call and our recruitment team will be in touch. We will keep you up to date with the latest news and activities within our school on a regular basis. We are regularly looking for support staff and we offer a range of flexible contracts.

Complete our Talent Pool application form by clicking here!