Progress Schools - Hamilton Square Review 2026: Small, referral-led alternative provision with improving behaviour and stronger routines

This is a small, commissioned alternative provision for students aged 11 to 16, designed for young people who have not been able to thrive in mainstream schooling and are often at risk of, or following, permanent exclusion. The offer is intentionally different from a conventional secondary: smaller groups, a relationship-led approach, and a strong focus on re-engagement with education.

The latest inspection picture is mixed but clearer than it was two years ago. Day-to-day routines and behaviour are stronger, and safeguarding is effective. The main pressure point is academic consistency across subjects, which matters for families and commissioning teams seeking both stability and credible qualifications at the end of Key Stage 4.

The school’s purpose shapes everything. Most students arrive with difficult prior experiences of education and low confidence in learning; the first job is to rebuild trust and regular attendance. The tone is structured and predictable, with adults prioritising calm routines and respectful interactions so students can tolerate being in school again.

The Hamilton Square site operates in a listed building, and the website describes flexible spaces that can be adapted to different group sizes, alongside practical areas such as a kitchen and games room. This practical, small-site feel tends to suit students who struggle with the scale and pace of large secondaries.

Leadership is presented through a group model. The school website names Jodene Horrocks as Head of School for Hamilton Square, and the most recent inspection documentation also references an executive headteacher and a head of school structure. Where families and local authorities value clarity, it is worth asking who holds day-to-day responsibility on the site your child would attend, and how decisions are escalated within the wider group.

This setting sits outside the mainstream pattern of GCSE performance reporting, and comparisons can be imperfect. Even so, the available GCSE indicators provide a baseline for context.

Ranked 4,280th in England and 12th in the local area for GCSE outcomes (FindMySchool ranking based on official data), this places performance below England average overall, and towards the lower end of the national distribution (the bottom 40% band). Families should read that alongside the school’s context: many students join late, with disrupted learning histories and higher levels of additional need, which can depress headline measures even when day-to-day progress is meaningful.

The dataset records an Attainment 8 score of 4.2 and an EBacc APS of 0.22, with 0% achieving grades 5 or above in the EBacc measure. Those figures reinforce that this is not a conventional EBacc-driven curriculum model, and that GCSE pathways are likely to be highly individualised. (Where specific GCSE entry patterns matter, families should ask which subjects are entered at GCSE versus studied through functional or alternative qualifications, and how exam access arrangements are handled.)

The curriculum emphasis is pragmatic. English and mathematics are treated as priority subjects, with the most recent inspection describing those curriculums as logically ordered and typically delivered as intended. That matters because consistency in these core areas is often the lever for re-entry to further education or employment routes.

Beyond the core, the picture is still developing. Curriculum breadth has expanded to include more nationally accredited qualifications, but leaders have also had to refine which qualifications are most suitable for students’ next steps. For parents, that translates into a sensible question at visit stage: what is the planned qualification diet for a student joining in Year 10 or Year 11, and how quickly can the school stabilise an exam plan if a student arrives mid-year.

The school website also frames delivery through a “primary model” of staffing, meaning teachers may cover multiple subjects, supported by centrally designed curriculum materials written by subject specialists. In small settings this can be effective for consistency and relationships, but it also makes subject knowledge and training a key risk to manage.

There is no sixth form on site, so post-16 planning has to start early and stay practical. The most recent inspection describes a careers and personal development programme supported by encounters with different professions and work experience, with the aim of helping students progress into appropriate education or employment when they leave.

Because destinations data is not published here in a way that can be summarised safely without numbers, families should ask for examples of current pathways, such as local colleges, apprenticeships, or supported routes where students have SEND or education, health and care plans. The most useful answers will include what happens after enrolment, such as who coordinates applications, how references are handled, and what support is provided for attendance and transition during the first term of post-16.

Admissions work differently from mainstream coordinated entry. Referrals are made by a student’s current education setting or by the local authority or inclusion team, and the admissions policy states there are no formal entry requirements, with each referral considered individually.

For non-SEND referrals, the policy sets a clear operational expectation: once the required documentation is received, a decision is communicated within a maximum of five working days, and a start date and timetable are agreed if a place is offered. Appeals, where a placement is declined, must be made in writing within five working days to the Head of School.

For referrals involving an education, health and care plan, the policy describes a process that includes paperwork review by the Head of School and liaison with the National SENCO where appropriate, with a decision made within 15 days (the consultation period noted in the policy). If a declination is proposed, the policy indicates that parties must agree, and the referring source is provided with a reasoned response explaining why the provision cannot meet the plan’s objectives.

For families, the practical implication is that this is rarely a “tour, apply, wait for offers” pathway. It is closer to a placement decision supported by documentation, risk assessment, and a transition plan. If you are shortlisting options, FindMySchool’s Saved Schools feature is useful for keeping track of referral requirements and who needs to supply which documents.

The pastoral model is closely tied to re-engagement. Students benefit from a strong emphasis on building positive relationships, small groups, and routines that keep the environment calm and predictable. In alternative provision, this is not a “nice to have”, it is often the pre-condition for any academic learning to resume.

Personal development is treated as a core strand, with structured personal, social, health and economic education covering themes such as healthy relationships and staying safe. For families whose child has had repeated exclusions or prolonged non-attendance, this explicit teaching of “how to be in school” can be as important as the exam plan.

The enrichment offer is used as a re-engagement tool, not as a glossy extracurricular programme. The most recent inspection references activities such as go-karting and trampolining, alongside the use of virtual reality experiences to broaden horizons, including a virtual visit to a natural history museum. For many students, these shared experiences function as relationship-builders and confidence builders, which then support attendance and participation in lessons.

Facilities and spaces are modest but purposeful. The Hamilton Square site is described as having adaptable teaching spaces plus a kitchen and games room, which supports practical learning and social regulation. The wider local offer also includes an additional site at New Ferry, described as having access to activity spaces including 3G five-a-side pitches and a gym within the refurbished community centre setting, which can matter for students who regulate better through movement and structured physical activity.

This is an independent school, but places are commonly commissioned by the local authority rather than paid directly by families. The most recent published inspection documentation lists annual day fees as £18,000. Families should treat this as a reference point and confirm funding arrangements through the commissioning route, because referral-led placements can be contracted in different ways.

The school does not present a conventional bursary or scholarship model in its public materials for this site. For families exploring a placement outside local authority commissioning, it is sensible to ask for a written schedule covering what is included and what may be charged separately (for example, transport, exam fees, or certain activities).

This is a small, multi-site provision. The public website describes the Hamilton Square site and a linked New Ferry site, so families should confirm which site a student would attend day to day, and how any movement between sites is managed.

School day start and finish times, as well as any breakfast or after-school wraparound arrangements, are not clearly published in the readily available public materials for this site. Families should ask directly for the timetable structure, transport expectations, and what happens if a student arrives late or struggles with full-time attendance at the start.

• Academic consistency across subjects. Core curriculum in English and mathematics is a priority, but the latest inspection evidence indicates unevenness elsewhere and a need to strengthen subject-specific expertise so learning is not patchy.

• This is a referral pathway, not a typical application cycle. The admissions process depends on documentation, risk assessment, and commissioning decisions, so it can move faster than mainstream admissions but also requires organised input from schools and local authority teams.

• Multi-site complexity. Provision can operate across Hamilton Square and New Ferry, which may suit some students but can also add logistical and transition demands. Clarify the day-to-day plan early.

• A small setting cuts both ways. Small groups can stabilise behaviour and attendance, but they also reduce peer breadth. For some students that is a relief; for others it can feel restrictive.

Progress Schools - Hamilton Square is best understood as a structured reset for students who have not managed in mainstream education, with small-group routines and a strong behavioural foundation that supports re-engagement. It suits students who need calm, predictable relationships and a practical route back to qualifications or a credible post-16 plan.

The limiting factor is not intent, it is consistency of subject delivery across the wider curriculum. Families and commissioners who probe the qualification plan, staffing expertise, and transition support are most likely to see whether this setting matches their child’s needs and timeline.