Northern
Counties
School

A specialist education provider based in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne. Our purpose is to engage and empower pupils to optimise their future by unlocking potential and maximising their progress.

Northern
Counties
School

A specialist education provider based in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne. Our purpose is to engage and empower pupils to optimise their future by unlocking potential and maximising their progress.

Northern
Counties
School

A specialist education provider based in Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne. Our purpose is to engage and empower pupils to optimise their future by unlocking potential and maximising their progress.

Our School

Engage Icon Percy Hedley

Engage

Care Icon Percy Hedley

Enable

Empower Icon Percy Hedley

Empower

We offer provision for:

  • Students aged 3–19 years old
  • Autism and Communication Difficulties
  • Deaf and hearing impairments.
  • Visual Impairment and Blind
  • Receptive, expressive and pragmatic language difficulties
  • Profound and multiple learning difficulties, including complex health needs

Our Vision and Ethos

Northern Counties School collaborates with all stakeholders to provide an ambitious, stimulating environment to ensure our learners achieve the best educational outcomes possible. We understand that all learners are unique and empower them to achieve independence and success in the wider world.  All our learners gain positive, progressive outcomes from their educational experiences; our ambition is to link national accreditations for all outcomes, which are linked incrementally to learners’ preparation for their next steps and adulthood. We provide a safe and caring environment for all our learners and staff within Northern Counties School.

Key Details

A warm welcome from the Head Teacher

Martin Lonergan

I am extremely proud to lead a team committed to all learner’s well-being, achieving high standards and providing the best opportunities for all in our care.  The amazing team here of teachers, therapists and support assistants work together to deliver amazing teaching, learning, care and support to every pupil.

We all work hard to deliver a rich and challenging curriculum, to prepare children for their futures, and to help them acquire the skills and enthusiasm needed to embrace the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.

We are a school where individuals are valued and helped to achieve their personal best.  Our holistic, aspirational approach to education enables our students to make a full and positive contribution to school and community and fully prepares them for future enjoyment and fulfilment.

Each student will receive a personalised curriculum created through real-life, meaningful teaching and learning. We fully understand each student’s strengths and needs at their point of learning and can scaffold teaching and experiences to enable ‘deep learning’ through flexible, responsive activities.

To find out about our school, we encourage you to come and visit, please get in touch with our admissions team to learn more about what we offer.

Please feel free to email me at any time with any enquiries at martin.lonergan@percyhedley.org.uk

A Welcome Message from the Chair of Governors

Jeffrey Lough

“Governors at Northern Counties School play an important role in the running of the school and have considerable responsibility in setting the strategic direction of the school along with the head teacher and senior leadership team.  Governors do not manage schools, this is the role of the head teacher and senior leadership team, but we do oversee the development of the school, the main aim of which is always to provide a high standard of education for all learners of all abilities.  In essence, as the accountable body for the school, the governing body has three main roles:

  • Provide a strategic view of where the school is heading. This is done by reviewing and agreeing on policies, targets, and priorities and monitoring and reviewing aims and objectives.
  • Act as a critical friend to the school. The governing body works with the head teacher to create a clear understanding of the challenges faced in managing the school. The governing body should feel able to question and challenge and this is achieved through trust and mutual respect.
  • Hold the school to account for the educational standards it achieves and the quality of education it provides. The governing body uses its collective skills to benefit the children, by gathering views and asking questions to determine what is best for the school.

Our governors have a variety of skills and backgrounds that provide the school with a wide range of expertise and support. What unifies us is our strong commitment to the school’s vision and ethos. We are a mixture of parent governors, school staff, co-opted governors, and local council representatives.  Parent governors have a child in school, are elected by parents of the school, and serve, as do other governors, for four years.  We meet regularly to formally discuss the work of the school and look at where we are going and how we can make improvements.

Governors visit the school throughout the year and most have links to specific subjects and their teachers or to areas of the school such as literacy, finance, ICT and safeguarding. This provides important opportunities to see the school in action and we enjoy the chance to meet staff and children and learn about what makes NCS so special.

As Chairman of the Governors, I know that NCS is achieving the highest standards for all our children. It is also clearly evident that all the governors, staff, and children feel proud to be part of our school and this is represented in everything that they do.”

Please feel free to email me at any time with any enquiries at jeffery.lough@percyhedley.org.uk

Useful Links

Admissions

Find out more on our referral process.

Our School Offers

Find out more about our curriculum and what makes our school unique.

Parents & Famillies

We aim to support you and your child through your school journey.

Support Us

Find out more on how you can support the Percy Hedley Foundation and its mission.

Prospectus

All school places are commissioned by the local authority, please email enquiries to ncs.enquiries@percyhedley.org.uk

View the Prospectus here  >

The Team

Learn more about our amazing staff.

Find out more about our senior leadership team and our Board of Governors.

Find Out More  >

Achievement And Accreditation

From Duke of Edinburgh to GCSE and BSL, learn what achievements and accreditations our students have had this past year.

View Accreditations and Achievements Here  >