Find out how to attend our school and more about the process
Include | Welby Grange is designed for children and young people who need a different approach to education. Set in the peaceful Leicestershire countryside near Melton Mowbray, we support neurodivergent learners, children with social, emotional and mental health needs, and those who have experienced challenges in mainstream or other settings. Many of our learners have Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) or are in the process of being assessed.
We understand that every child who comes to us has a unique story. Some have found traditional classrooms overwhelming. Others have experienced disruption, anxiety, or disengagement from learning. What they share is the need for a calm, therapeutic environment where they feel safe, understood, and genuinely supported.
Our tranquil countryside setting is central to our approach. Surrounded by gardens and open space, we personalise learning to each child’s strengths, interests, and needs, creating the conditions where they can rebuild confidence, re-engage with education, and make meaningful progress both academically and personally.
If you feel that Include | Welby Grange may be the right place for your child — somewhere they will be seen, understood and supported — then the first step is to talk to your Local Authority about the possibility of a placement, and contact us so we can chat through what makes our school unique, and whether we believe we can meet your child’s needs.
Because we believe in transparent and safe placements, attending Include | Welby Grange requires the same statutory process as other SEND provision: the Local Authority needs to agree to a formal consultation with us about whether we can meet your child’s requirements. Often the Local Authority will explore multiple options before naming a school — this is standard practice.
Parent or carer visits Include | Welby Grange and wants to name our school as their preference.
If there has been a significant change in your child's needs, an annual review can be held to request an amendment to their EHCP. During this meeting, you can ask for Include | Welby Grange to be named in Section I. You will need to provide supporting evidence so the Local Authority can consider the request.
After the review, the Local Authority will decide whether to amend the EHCP or keep it as it is. This is a standard part of the process.
If the Local Authority agrees to amend the EHCP, you can ask for Include | Welby Grange to be formally consulted as a potential school placement.
The Local Authority will then send us a consultation. We have 15 days to carefully review the information and respond, making sure we can genuinely meet your child's needs and provide the right environment for them to thrive.
Note: If the Local Authority decides not to amend the EHCP or does not progress the consultation to Include | Welby Grange, you still have the right to appeal this decision through the SEND Tribunal.
A parent or carer visits Include | Welby Grange and feels that our environment could be the right fit for their child. You let your Local Authority know you would like us to be considered.
When the 20-week EHCP process reaches the point of naming a school, you can request that Include | Welby Grange is listed in Section I of the plan. You will need supporting evidence to show why our provision meets your child's needs.
The Local Authority will then decide whether to consult Include | Welby Grange, along with any other schools they feel may be able to meet your child's needs.
If Include | Welby Grange is consulted, we will receive the papers and look carefully at your child's needs to make sure we are the right setting for them.
We respond to the consultation within 15 days, confirming whether we can meet need and offer a place.
Note: If the Local Authority chooses not to name Include | Welby Grange in Section I of the EHCP, you have the right to appeal this decision through the SEND Tribunal.
Absolutely. Families are always welcome to get in touch with Include | Welby Grange for more information or to arrange a visit. We also host open days, which are a relaxed way to explore our school and grounds. You are welcome to come with or without your child.
Seeing our countryside environment in person, meeting the team, and getting a feel for how we work can be incredibly helpful. It gives you the chance to understand our approach and decide whether our setting is the right fit for your child or young person.
A visit also helps you explain to the Local Authority why Include | Welby Grange may best meet your child’s needs, should you choose to request us as a placement.
We believe in being open and honest about whether we are the right fit for your child. Not every setting suits every learner, and our priority is always what is best for them.
Include | Welby Grange is a small, therapeutic school in a rural countryside setting. Our approach is built around personalised learning, outdoor education, emotional support, and a calm environment. If your child’s needs are best met through a larger setting, a school with specialist medical provision, an urban location, or an environment with a more traditional academic structure, then a different placement may serve them better.
We will always be transparent during the consultation process. If we do not believe we can genuinely meet your child’s needs, we will say so, and we are happy to help point you towards other options that may be a better fit. Getting the right placement matters, and we would rather be honest than make promises we cannot keep.
Find out what the experience for a parent or carer is like at Include | Welby Grange.
Find out what the experience for a learner is like at Include | Welby Grange.
Find out more about our provision and how to make a referral to Include | Welby Grange.