Welcome to The Village School

It takes a village to raise a child

Welcome to The Village School

It is a pleasure to welcome you to The Village School, a specialist setting in the London Borough of Brent dedicated to supporting children and young people with a wide range of skills, abilities and unique talents. 

We are a vibrant and nurturing learning community made up of five villages, serving pupils aged 3 to 19. With an enrolment of 310 students, we are united by a clear purpose: to ensure every learner is recognised, valued and empowered to flourish.

Our Curriculum and Approach

Our curriculum is designed as a progress model, enabling every young person to be an active and enthusiastic participant in their learning journey. We nurture curiosity, independence and a joy for learning, ensuring all students are encouraged to explore, grow and experience the fullness of life both within and beyond school.

At the heart of our curriculum is a commitment to personal progress, high aspirations and inclusion. We believe every child deserves the opportunity to achieve their best, in a school where they feel seen, supported and inspired.

Our Values

At The Village School, our values are rooted in a commitment to progress, attainment, inclusion, and principled practice. We believe that every learner deserves the opportunity to grow, achieve and participate fully in school life.

These values are brought to life through our curriculum, which is designed to support each student’s needs and aspirations. It promotes engagement, enjoyment, confidence and the development of essential life-skills, helping every young person make meaningful progress.

We foster a strong sense of belonging, where all students are welcomed, understood and celebrated. Our community is built on kindness, respect, appreciation and effective communication, ensuring positive relationships and a safe, nurturing environment for all.

We work intentionally to create a culture where:

• Every child is recognised as an individual with unique strengths.
• Progress - academic, social, emotional and personal is championed and celebrated.
• Inclusion is a lived experience for every learner.
• Kindness and respect guide expectations and interactions.
• Clear, supportive communication strengthens partnerships between staff, students and families.

These values shape everyday practice across our five villages, enabling each young person to develop confidence, independence and a deep sense of self‑worth.

Working in Partnership

We know that the best outcomes are achieved through strong collaboration. Parents, Carers and Guardians are central to our work. We work closely with families and multi‑professional teams to ensure that every learner’s journey is purposeful, personalised and joyful, always with an unrelenting focus on preparing young people for the next stage in life.

Our Sites

The Village School operates across three sites:

• The Village School (Main Site): 29 classes
• The Kingsbury Village (at Kingsbury High School): 5 classes
• The Hope Centre: 2 classes

Our Community

All students at The Village School have an Education, Health and Care Plan, and many have additional complex medical needs or a diagnosis of Autism. Our school reflects the rich diversity of Brent, with pupils from a variety of cultural, ethnic and faith backgrounds. The proportion of learners supported through Pupil Premium is higher than the national average.

We truly believe that every child can shine. Through a transdisciplinary approach and a curriculum rich in communication, independence, creativity and physical development, we provide enriching opportunities that prepare each learner for a confident, meaningful and empowered adult life.

A Final Word

At The Village School, we see potential in every child and we are relentless in helping them realise it. Together with our families, staff and community partners, we create a place where young people feel proud of who they are, excited about who they can become, and ready to take their next steps with courage, joy and hope.

 Welcome to The Village School. Welcome to our community.

Karol Stelmaszczyk
Headteacher
The Village School

Ofsted 2023 - "Outstanding"

Don’t Worry About a Thing

It’s a hot Tuesday afternoon. Imagine this. It’s school council time. A bright, spacious, vibrant room opens its doors to a kaleidoscope of ways to be heard, to speak. Here, we listen with our eyes.

It’s a special school in north-west London. The classroom is full. Thirty young people, some ambulant, others profoundly dependent, all luminous in their own way. The room hums with joyful noise: a cacophony, yes, but a constructive one – a choir of movement, sound, and delight.

Teaching assistants,120% attentive, move with practised grace, responding not just to need but to personality. They know every child. Every tick, twitch, sign, and smile. We’re signing the words to Three Little Birds. Bob Marley fills the air.

To our surprise, a boy who barely moves shouts a single word: ‘Marley’. The room bursts into applause. Nearby, another child bounces from chair to chair – their connections to people, to books, to life itself run deep. They weren’t always understood. But the adults in that child’s family kept going. Their investment in their child matched the school’s commitment to them. Valued attention that ran both ways. The school helped turn frustration into calm, assertive advocacy.

This school sees that child. They understand them. And they make sure others do too.

The session ends, but the mood lingers. Before leaving, we all sign the three words these pupils know by heart – happy, love, fun.

Because here, at last, they are.

Dr Antony Edkins,

Challenge Partner Lead Inspector