The Yellow House School is an independent special school in Halstead, Essex, for children and young people aged 13 to 17.
- Ages 13–17
- 14 pupils
- Ofsted report card (2026)
School details
- Type
- Independent special school
- Ages
- 13 to 17
- Boys and girls
- Boys and girls
- Pupils
- 14 (places for 20)
- Headteacher
- Mrs Chloe Smith
- Opened
- 20 August 2003
- Council
- Essex
- School reference (URN)
- 134398
How to get a place
4 steps, starting with an EHC plan
- An EHC plan
Places at schools like this usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan. If your child doesn’t have one yet, you can ask the council for an assessment yourself.
- Visit and ask questions
See whether the school feels right and whether it can meet your child’s needs. Our list of questions below can help.
- Ask for the school to be named
Tell the council that looks after the plan (often Essex council) that this is the school you want, and ask them to consult it.
- An offer, and the council’s agreement
As an independent school not approved under Section 41, it doesn’t have to accept a place: the school has to offer one, and the council has to agree to name it in the plan.
Questions to ask when you visit
8 questions to tick off as you go
Ticks stay on this device, so you can use them on the day.
Ofsted
Report card, June 2026: Expected standard in 5 of 6 areas
Inspected in June 2026 under Ofsted’s new report cards, which grade each area separately, from Exceptional to Urgent improvement, instead of one overall grade.
- InclusionExpected standard
- Curriculum and teachingExpected standard
- AchievementExpected standard
- Attendance and behaviourStrong standard
- Personal development and wellbeingExpected standard
- Leadership and governanceExpected standard
- SafeguardingMet
Independent school standards: all standards met.
Contact and getting there
1 Alderford Street, Sible Hedingham, Halstead, CO9 3HX
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Directions: Walk Public transport Drive
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The school’s details, how to get a place and the questions to ask, in your inbox.
Other SEND schools nearby
- Teaseldown School Independent · Ages 11–19 · Ofsted: Good 0.5 miles
- The Edith Borthwick School Special school · Ages 3–19 · Ofsted report card (2026) 6.6 miles
- St Gregory Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School Mainstream + base · Ages 3–11 · Ofsted: Good 6.9 miles
By need in Essex: Autism (18) · Severe learning (13) · Moderate learning (10) · Hearing (10) · Speech and language (9) · PMLD (8) · SEMH (7) · Dyslexia and SpLD (3) · Vision (3) · Multi-sensory (2)
Questions about The Yellow House School
How do I get a place at The Yellow House School?
There’s no catchment area or application round. Places usually come through an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan: ask the council that looks after the plan to consult The Yellow House School. As an independent school not approved under Section 41, it has to offer a place and the council has to agree to name it.
What ages does The Yellow House School take?
Aged 13 to 17, boys and girls.
What is The Yellow House School’s Ofsted rating?
There’s no overall grade to show. Read the school’s latest inspection report on the Ofsted website.
Where is The Yellow House School?
1 Alderford Street, Sible Hedingham, Halstead, CO9 3HX, in Essex.
School data: DfE Get Information About Schools, under the Open Government Licence. Postcode lookups by postcodes.io: contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right, Royal Mail data © Royal Mail copyright and database right, and National Statistics data © Crown copyright and database right. Distances are as the crow flies. Always check details and admissions with the school and your council.