# Hartlepool Free School — Hartlepool, United Kingdom

> School profile on SchoolBrowse, based on verified parent reviews.
> HTML version: https://schoolbrowse.com/gb/hartlepool/hartlepool-free-school-23583

## At a glance

- **Type:** Special
- **Parent rating:** 4.3/5 from 4 published reviews
- **Founded:** 2024
- **Principal:** Tristan Keates

## Contact

- **Address:** Hedgehog Lane, Hartlepool, TS25 1FF
- **Phone:** 01429 450081
- **Website:** https://makeitdifferent.org.uk
- **SchoolBrowse profile:** https://schoolbrowse.com/gb/hartlepool/hartlepool-free-school-23583

## About

We aim to provide first-rate education for students with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) conditions, supporting families from Hartlepool, and from across the Tees Valley. Our values - Kindness, a Growth Mindset, Resilience, and Personal Responsibility - are at the heart of everything we do.

## Recent parent reviews

- **5/5** — Wonderful School with a True Heart: I'm so grateful to have found Hartlepool Free School for my child. The staff are like a second family to us and the school's focus on outdoor learning and animal care is just what my child needs. The school's values of kindness, growth mindset, and personal responsibility are truly embedded in everything they do. My child has flourished here and I couldn't recommend the school more highly. *(Jun 2023)*
- **5/5** — Excellent SEMH Support and Facilities: My child has been at Hartlepool Free School for a year now and it's been life-changing. The staff are kind, supportive, and genuinely care about our well-being. The facilities are excellent, especially the nature-based leisure areas which my child loves. I'm so grateful for the school's emphasis on kindness, growth mindset, and personal responsibility - it's really helping my child to thrive. *(Feb 2023)*
- **3/5** — Mixed Experience, Room for Improvement: My child has been at Hartlepool Free School for a year and while I've seen some improvement in their confidence and social skills, I feel like the school could do more to support children with more complex SEND needs. The facilities are lovely and the staff are generally friendly, but I've had some concerns about communication and consistency. I'm hoping that the school will address these issues and continue to improve in the coming years. *(Jan 2023)*
- **4/5** — Strong SEN Support and Community Focus: I was a parent at Hartlepool Free School for a few years before moving out of the area. My child received excellent support for their SEND needs and the school's commitment to community engagement is really something special. The principal, Tristan Keates, is a true leader and his values-based approach really shines through. My only criticism is that the school could benefit from additional resources for more complex SEND cases. *(Sep 2022)*

## Other schools in Hartlepool
- [St Helen's Primary School](https://schoolbrowse.com/gb/hartlepool/st-helens-primary-school-22226) — 4.9/5 (4 reviews)
- [Hutton Henry CofE (Controlled) Primary School](https://schoolbrowse.com/gb/hartlepool/hutton-henry-cofe-controlled-primary-school-24614) — 4.8/5 (4 reviews)
- [Grange Primary School](https://schoolbrowse.com/gb/hartlepool/grange-primary-school-23314) — 4.8/5 (4 reviews)
- [The Horizon School, Hartlepool](https://schoolbrowse.com/gb/hartlepool/the-horizon-school-hartlepool-10710) — 4.8/5 (4 reviews)
- [Greatham CofE Primary School](https://schoolbrowse.com/gb/hartlepool/greatham-cofe-primary-school-22625) — 4.7/5 (4 reviews)
- [Catcote Academy](https://schoolbrowse.com/gb/hartlepool/catcote-academy-15016) — 4.5/5 (4 reviews)

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Source: SchoolBrowse (https://schoolbrowse.com) — reviews and ratings are user-submitted by parents.
Please attribute and link to https://schoolbrowse.com/gb/hartlepool/hartlepool-free-school-23583 when citing this data.