Hardwick House School

We are beyond thrilled and deeply honoured to announce that Hardwick House School has been nominated for Secondary School of the Year in the My Local Awards 2026! 🏆✨

A massive, heartfelt thank you to whoever took the time to nominate us. Knowing that our school community’s hard work, love, and unique approach to education is recognized means the world to us all.

Now, let’s address the elephant in the room… 🐘

We currently have 49 pupils on roll, which means we are standing alongside absolute giants in this category. We are up against massive, traditional secondary schools with thousands of pupils, so our potential voting audience is tiny by comparison. But if there’s one thing we know about the Hardwick community, it’s that we never back down from a challenge!

We may be small, but our impact is mighty. Our Year 11s achieved an incredible 90% Grade 4 or above in English, Maths, and Science (more than double the national average for state schools)!

With dedicated staff, tailored therapy, and an environment designed specifically for our autistic learners, we prove every day that high expectations lead to incredible success. Every single one of our leavers transitions on to meaningful post-16 education and training.

Our supporters are used to putting up a fight, pushing boundaries, and backing what truly matters. We might be the underdog in raw numbers, but we are unbeatable in heart and spirit!

There are 13 days left to vote, and so please share this post, vote and share with all of your wider family and friends, as every vote really does count - https://mylocalawards.co.uk/business/hardwick-house-school/

Let’s show them what Hardwick is made of! 🙌

Just a moment...

We hope everyone in our school community is having a wonderful summer break so far!

Whether you’re currently off on an adventure either in the UK or abroad, enjoying a peaceful rest at home, or taking the time to fully immerse yourselves in your favorite passions and special interests, we hope these weeks away are giving you all a well-deserved chance to recharge.

As we enjoy the rest of the holiday, we’re also keeping an eye on the autumn term ahead. We can’t wait to welcome back all of our returning students and staff, and we're just as excited to greet our brand-new starters as they begin their journey with us at Hardwick House!

A extra special thought goes out to our incredible Year 11 leavers as you spend your summer preparing for your next big steps into post-16 settings. We are still bursting with pride over everything you’ve achieved, and we know you’re going to go on to do amazing things. We look forward to seeing the Year 11's on GCSE results day, as we see the results of all of the hard work they have put in over their time at Hardwick.

Enjoy the rest of your summer, stay safe, and have fun!

Looking back at our very last day of term, we couldn't have asked for a more brilliant end to the school year! We kicked things off with our annual Hardwick’s Got Talent, followed by an energetic, spirit-filled Sports Day, even if it was in some of the hottest conditions we’ve ever seen.

The day was a true celebration of our core values, as our students were all recognised for their incredible Character, Confidence, Creativity, and Competence.

During Hardwick’s Got Talent, our learners showcased a fantastic range of skills, talents, and special interests. Every single year, it is deeply heartwarming to see how our students across all three key stages, each completely unique with their own distinct passions, come together to offer unwavering and enthusiastic support for one another.

One moment that captured what it means to be in our school community happened during the talent show, when one of our Year 9 students stepped up unprompted, to join in and support our KS2 performers during their act.

One of the highlights of Sports Day was seeing our school community come together in full force. We loved welcoming so many of our learners’ parents, extended family, and friends to watch and cheer everyone on from the sidelines. It was fantastic to see so many visitors rolling up their sleeves and getting involved alongside the students at various stations throughout the day, and seeing that enthusiasm up close made it clear where our learners get their fierce competitive edge!
We understand at Hardwick how great it is to have such energetic support from families, which made the day feel special for all of our young people.

From the incredible stage performances to the determination shown on the field despite the heat, our students proved just how extraordinary they are. We couldn't be prouder of how they supported each other, not just on the last day, but throughout the whole year!

Our penultimate day of school was all about adventure, exploration, and celebrating a fantastic year together with our annual 'Trip Day'. To mark the end of the academic year, we offered a range of exciting trips and activities, giving all of our learners the opportunity to spend the day doing something they truly enjoy, or to step outside their comfort zones and try something completely new for the very first time.

The day was packed with diverse experiences both on and off-site. Animal lovers had the option to head out to Twycross Zoo to learn more about wildlife, while thrill-seekers enjoyed an action-packed day on the rides at Drayton Manor. Those with a passion for science embarked on a journey through the stars at the National Space Centre, while other students opted for a calm and focused day by the water during a fishing excursion. Meanwhile, a group took the train into Nottingham City Centre, offering a brilliant opportunity to explore the city.

Back at school, the creativity and enthusiasm were just as high. Students spent the day whipping up delicious treats in baking sessions and getting hands-on with arts and crafts projects, alongside several other engaging activities tailored to their interests.

Whether our learners were braving rollercoasters, mastering a new skill, or simply enjoying quality time with their peers and staff, the day was filled with laughter, great memories, and incredible achievements. We are immensely proud of the way our students embraced these new opportunities and showed fantastic spirit throughout the entire day.

One of the many benefits of Hardwick House is the flexibility to create meaningful adventures that meet the needs of every learner, even when the temperatures rise!

Last week, our learners stayed cool while continuing to learn. When the heat became a little too much, KS2 headed down to the Green Belt, where everyone enjoyed cooling off in the refreshing water, exploring the natural environment, and making the most of the beautiful weather.

These experiences provide valuable opportunities to develop confidence, communication, teamwork, resilience, and an appreciation of the world around us, all while creating wonderful memories.

Learning doesn't stop when the sun comes out—it simply takes on a new adventure! 🌞

Yesterday marked the first day of our three-day transition programme, and what a fantastic day it was! Our learners enjoyed meeting their new teachers, exploring their new classrooms, and settling into the exciting opportunities ahead.

To make the day even more memorable, the ice cream van paid us a special visit, bringing plenty of smiles and a well-deserved treat for everyone! 🍨✨

We were incredibly proud to see so many of our learners make brilliant progress in their personal development, growing in confidence as they engaged positively with the wider school community. It was wonderful to see friendships flourish, independence develop, and so many children embracing new experiences with enthusiasm.

We can't wait for the final transition day tomorrow and to see our learners continue to thrive!

We are incredibly fortunate to have access to so many fantastic sporting facilities in our local community. Over the last term and continuing this term, we've been delighted to use the excellent football pitches at Loughborough University for our Friday football enrichment sessions.

Football enrichment is enjoyed by children from every key stage, giving them the opportunity to develop their skills, build teamwork and, most importantly, have fun!

It's a brilliant way to end the school week! We love that so many of our learners inspire each other for a love of sport and physical activity! ⚽

Today marks the end of the GCSE examination series for this academic year at Hardwick House School, and we couldn't be prouder of our students.

This year has been a significant milestone for our school, with the largest number of students sitting GCSE qualifications in one examination period since Hardwick House first opened its doors. Every student has shown remarkable resilience, determination, and commitment throughout, and we commend them for the effort they have invested in reaching this point.

We would also like to thank our wonderful staff, families, and wider school community for the encouragement and support that has helped our students succeed.

Congratulations Year 11, we're incredibly proud of you all! 🌟

Good luck to all our amazing Year 11s as GCSEs begin this week! 🌟
Remember to get plenty of rest, stay hydrated, and believe in your abilities. You've already worked so hard to get to this point today and we’re all cheering you on every step of the way! 📖✨

One of the most wonderful things about our community is discovering new and unexpected talents in both our staff and our students ✨

This week, we learned that our art therapist Abi is a brilliant Irish dancer! She shared her skills in a fantastic wellbeing session, where Iris had the opportunity to learn some Irish dancing too — and did an amazing job 💚 🍀

It’s moments like these that make our community so special, celebrating each other’s talents and learning something new together!