New River College Primary operates as a Pupil Referral Unit in Barnsbury, dedicated to supporting children aged 5 to 11 with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. Located at Cloudesley Square in the London Borough of Islington, the school serves pupils who have been permanently excluded from mainstream schools or are at risk of exclusion, many of whom also have diagnoses of autism and ADHD. With a small roll of around 10 pupils, the unit maintains class sizes of up to six children, enabling highly individualised trauma-informed support. Ofsted rated the school Good in June 2023, recognising its calm classrooms and positive pupil attitudes, though noting areas for development in mathematics and science teaching.
New River College Primary is part of New River College, a consortium of three alternative provisions serving Islington pupils from Key Stage 1 through Key Stage 4. The Primary unit is housed at Cloudesley Square and operates under the leadership of Co-Heads of Centre Carl Keegan and Karen Galvin, with Nigel Smith as Executive Headteacher. The school's ethos is grounded in a trauma-informed approach centred on celebration, restoration and de-escalation. Staff believe that "all behaviour is communication" and focus on building positive relationships with both pupils and families to remove barriers to learning and personal development.
The unit serves children whose mainstream school experience has broken down due to behavioural difficulties or complex SEMH needs. Many pupils arrive with histories of disrupted education, exclusions or consultations for special educational needs. The small-scale environment is designed to create a calm, structured space where children can stabilise, engage with learning and, where possible, prepare for reintegration into mainstream or specialist settings.
New River College Primary does not publish national curriculum attainment data in the manner of mainstream schools, as the vast majority of pupils arrive mid-year with significant gaps in their learning and high levels of need. The school offers a bespoke, person-centred curriculum that prioritises identifying each child's learning gaps and addressing barriers to engagement before academic progress can be sustained.
Inspectors in 2023 noted that behaviour and attitudes were strengths, with pupils displaying positive attitudes to learning in calm classrooms and a clear behaviour policy implemented consistently. Progress in English was recognised as strong, though teaching and learning in mathematics and science were identified as areas requiring improvement. The school puts interventions in place when pupils are not making sufficient progress, though targets can sometimes be too challenging given the additional special educational needs many children carry.
Support is intensive and multi-layered. The high staff-to-pupil ratio allows for continuous one-to-one attention throughout the school day. Pupils access swimming sessions, music therapy and specialist interventions through partnerships with the Educational Psychology service and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. The curriculum is designed not only to close academic gaps but also to rebuild confidence, regulate emotions and develop social skills.
The Primary unit operates from Cloudesley Square in Barnsbury, a central location within Islington. Classrooms are kept small, with a maximum of six pupils per class, fostering a low-arousal environment where children can feel safe and supported. The physical space is designed to reduce triggers and provide calm, structured routines that help pupils regulate behaviour and re-engage with learning.
Beyond the classroom, pupils benefit from access to swimming provision, music therapy and therapeutic interventions. The school's trauma-informed model permeates all aspects of daily life, from how staff respond to challenging behaviour to the language used with children and families. Celebration and restoration are woven into the culture, ensuring that pupils experience successes and see themselves as learners capable of progress.
Given the nature of the provision, extracurricular activities and facilities differ from those in mainstream settings. The focus is on therapeutic and developmental interventions rather than traditional clubs or competitive sports, though the school does incorporate enrichment opportunities that support pupils' broader development and wellbeing.
New River College Primary does not operate a traditional admissions process. Entry is by referral only, and places are allocated by the local authority through a multi-agency panel known as the Securing Education Board. Pupils are referred via several routes: permanent exclusion from an Islington school, SEN consultations where mainstream provision is deemed unsuitable, preventative placements for children at risk of exclusion, or medical needs that prevent attendance at a mainstream school.
When a child is permanently excluded, the local authority automatically refers them to New River College, and a place is arranged within six days. The placement is initially for the period during which the formal exclusion process is carried out, though many pupils remain longer depending on their needs and progress. The school serves Islington residents only, and all referrals are managed by the local authority rather than by direct parental application.
Parents do not apply to New River College Primary in the conventional sense. Instead, engagement begins at the point of referral, and families work closely with the school and support agencies to address the underlying issues that led to exclusion or placement. The school's role is to stabilise the child's education, support their emotional and behavioural development, and plan for an appropriate onward placement, whether that is reintegration into mainstream education, transition to a specialist school or continuation within alternative provision.
Because the school serves a highly specific cohort, there is no catchment area or admissions competition in the usual sense. Capacity is limited by the small scale of the provision, and referrals are carefully managed to ensure each child can receive the intensive support they need.
New River College Primary fulfils a vital role in Islington's education landscape, offering a specialised environment for children whose mainstream school experience has broken down due to SEMH needs, exclusion or complex additional needs. For families facing the distress of permanent exclusion or escalating behavioural difficulties, the school provides structure, calm and trauma-informed support designed to rebuild children's capacity to learn and re-engage with education.
The school's strengths lie in its small class sizes, high staffing ratios and consistent application of a behaviour policy rooted in understanding rather than punishment. Pupils make strong progress in English, and the calm, positive atmosphere noted by Ofsted reflects the effectiveness of the trauma-informed model. Access to therapeutic services, music therapy and swimming adds valuable developmental opportunities beyond the academic curriculum.
Areas for development include strengthening teaching in mathematics and science, and ensuring that targets set for pupils are realistic given the complexity of their needs. The school is working to refine its person-centred approach and deepen family engagement, recognising that progress at New River College is only sustainable when families are supported to make progress alongside their children.
This is not a school parents choose for its exam results or extracurricular offerings. It is a specialist provision designed to catch children at a point of crisis and provide the intensive, compassionate support needed to restore hope, stability and progress. For families navigating exclusion or struggling to find appropriate support for a child with SEMH needs in Islington, New River College Primary offers expertise, consistency and a clear commitment to helping every child move forward.
New River College Primary is a Good school according to Ofsted's most recent inspection in June 2023. It is not a mainstream primary school but a Pupil Referral Unit serving children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs who have been excluded or are at risk of exclusion. The school excels in creating a calm, trauma-informed environment with small classes and high levels of individualised support. Strengths include positive pupil attitudes, strong progress in English and effective behaviour management. Teaching in mathematics and science requires improvement, but the school's core purpose is to stabilise children in crisis and prepare them for appropriate onward placements, which it achieves effectively within the constraints of a highly complex cohort.
Parents do not apply directly to New River College Primary. Entry is by referral only, managed by Islington Local Authority through the Securing Education Board, a multi-agency panel. Referrals occur when a child is permanently excluded from an Islington school (automatic referral within six days), when an SEN consultation identifies that mainstream provision is unsuitable, when a preventative placement is needed for a child at risk of exclusion, or when medical needs prevent mainstream attendance. If your child is excluded or at risk of exclusion, the local authority's SEN or Inclusion team will coordinate the referral process. Families cannot approach the school independently; all placements are arranged through official channels following formal procedures.
New River College Primary serves children aged 5 to 11 years, covering Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. It is part of New River College, a consortium that also includes a Secondary PRU for pupils aged 11 to 16 and a Medical PRU. All three sites serve Islington residents with SEMH needs or who have been excluded from mainstream schools.
The school provides intensive, trauma-informed support for pupils with Social, Emotional and Mental Health needs. Class sizes are limited to six pupils, with high staff-to-pupil ratios enabling continuous individualised attention. The bespoke curriculum identifies and addresses learning gaps, while therapeutic interventions include music therapy, swimming provision and partnerships with the Educational Psychology service and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. The school's approach is based on celebration, restoration and de-escalation, treating all behaviour as communication and working closely with families to remove barriers to learning and personal development.
Yes. A central aim of New River College Primary is to support pupils in overcoming their barriers to learning and, where appropriate, enable them to return to mainstream education. The school has a track record of successfully reintegrating students into mainstream and specialist schools. However, the onward placement depends on each child's individual progress, needs and circumstances. Some pupils transition to specialist schools, while others may continue within alternative provision. The school works closely with families, the local authority and other professionals to identify and prepare for the most appropriate next step for each child.
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