The school

Hare Law School is a County Durham Local Education Authority Special School for pupils with moderate and severe learning difficulties and autism. It is located on the outskirts of Annfield Plain on the B6168 in the village of Hare Law and caters for 125 pupils from Derwentside and parts of Chester-le-Street.

The school building was erected in the 1960s and is being continually kept up to modern standards. It provides good accommodation and is surrounded by ample play space.

The school’s aims

Hare Law School intends that pupils placed with us will receive the very best educational opportunities possible and will have the same range of appropriate curriculum options that would have been available at a mainstream school. We have high expectations of all our pupils and we seek to build self esteem and confidence in each one.

Our philosophy involves pupils, parents, staff, Governors, other professionals, and the LEA working together to provide a friendly, caring environment in which children can thrive.

We believe that the quality of relationships is all-important and that everyone should behave in a responsible manner, showing consideration, courtesy and respect both for themselves and for other people at all times.

School hours

There are morning and afternoon breaks for all pupils and a lunchtime break in the middle of the day.

School curriculum

Hare Law is a special school, but is no different to any other school in the range of subjects it teaches and the delivery of the National Curriculum. Unlike mainstream schools, we cover both the primary and secondary curriculum – Key Stages 1 and 2 in primary, Key Stages 3 and 4 in Secondary.

All schools try to make sure that pupils with special needs receive special attention, but as a small school with a good adult/pupil ratio we are able to teach in small groups and give extra individual attention to pupils.

The National Curriculum covers the following subjects:

In addition, our curriculum also covers:

Our 'Functional Curriculum' is an important part of the learning for pupils and covers life skills towards independence.

In the lower school, the pupils are mostly taught the subjects by their class teacher, with some input from specialist teachers from the secondary department. In the secondary years, pupils are taught by a number of specialist teachers but continue to have daily sessions with their own class teacher.