Home - Farney Close School - Well Balanced Academic & Social Education

“Farney Close is life-changing. A world of opportunity awaits pupils when they join the school.” Ofsted (Education), June 2025

“Thank you for providing * with a safe space, understanding and dedication to him and his wellbeing, as well as his education.” Social Worker for Year 11

“Children make exceptional progress because of the warm and nurturing relationships they have with the staff in the residential provision.”

“Children enjoy a wide range of physically and emotionally stimulating activities”

“Expert leadership ensures that this is a school that never stands still” Ofsted (Education) June 2025

“A highly effective careers programme provides pupils with expert support and guidance as they move through the school” Ofsted (Education) June 2025

DISCOVER FARNEY CLOSE SCHOOL

Welcome to Farney Close School. I am incredibly proud to introduce you to our warm, caring community, where our dedicated staff work tirelessly to help young people thrive. Operating Monday through Friday during term time, we provide flexible day and residential placements tailored to each child’s journey.

We focus on delivering integrated education, care, and therapy for students aged 9 to 17 with an EHCP. We offer specialist pathways for a range of neurodivergent and developmental needs, such as SEMH, ADHD/ADD, Autism (ASC) with primary challenging behaviours, Dyslexia, and speech or language challenges.

We know that labels don’t capture the whole child. If your child experiences other difficulties, please get in touch—we are always happy to explore how we can accommodate and support their individual needs.

Our focus is on providing education, care, social development and therapeutic support to young people who have an Education Health and Care plan (EHCP) and experience a range of difficulties including:

Social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH)
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) (a sub-type of ADHD)
Autism (ASC) (where challenging behaviours are the primary need)
Conduct Disorder (CD)
Dyslexia
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)
Speech and Language Difficulties including social communication and interaction.

We recognise that many conditions are applied to children and young people and are happy to discuss how we may be able to support individuals with differing needs.

Farney Close is a non-denominational school founded by the Reverend Percy Wallbridge and his wife Vera 80 years ago, whose aim was to support children from all walks of life. Initially the story began with a school on the Isle of Wight, which then moved to Dorset and then on to the current site here in Sussex, where it has been since the early 1960s. Throughout the time it has been a non-profit making charity which has striven to provide the very best education and care for all of the pupils who have attended and its long history means that even now many ex pupils visit and speak fondly of their time at the school. Our Special Educational Needs school has been a non-profit-making charity from the start and remains so today.