Located in Surrey, More House is an established specialist school that is highly skilled in helping students with dyslexia to overcome the barriers to learning and success posed by specific learning and language difficulties.

More House School is the largest specialist school in the UK for boys with dyslexia and other learning difficulties. Located in Surrey, this independent single-sex school for boys aged eight to 19 years (Year Four to the Upper Sixth) offers a choice of full boarding, weekly boarding and day places.

Founded in 1939, More House is a very well-established specialist school, and it has an excellent reputation for its nurturing education that helps boys with Dyslexia, Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) to flourish. 

More House stands out for good reason. Every boy has his own personal timetable which allows him to study subjects based on his individual interests, strengths and talents. This is combined with plenty of extra-curricular activities and specialist support from the Learning Development Centre.

Kindness, spirit and responsibility underpin More House’s curriculum and extra-curricular activities, and these values are evident in the school’s supportive learning environment. The message from the school is clear: we can help your child to overcome the barriers to learning and success posed by specific learning and language difficulties.

Headmaster Jonathan Hetherington says:

“We believe that it is important that our boys are helped to discover and recognise their strengths so that they build their self-esteem and confidence.”

The school has a small community of 480 boys, a Catholic ethos and a beautiful location set within 30 acres of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It has been repeatedly graded Outstanding in all areas by Ofsted (most recently for the school in 2019, and for the boarding provision in 2022).

Curriculum

While teaching at More House is based on the National Curriculum for England, it offers a much broader curriculum that focuses on subject areas where students with dyslexia and other learning difficulties can thrive. There’s a greater focus on problem-solving in computer science, computer-aided design and engineering, and on creativity in the performing and visual arts, for example.

The school is more sympathetic than many schools to the fact that dyslexia is not related to intelligence, and students can be very intelligent and creative thinkers. It recognises that these students simply need to learn in a ‘different’ way.

This is what sets More House apart from mainstream schools. Dyslexic learners may struggle with a traditional curriculum where their literacy skills can see them placed in lower sets and they lack the support and extra time needed in the classroom. Instead, More House’s bespoke curriculum allows students to realise their strengths while developing their weaker skill areas.

It teaches core subjects such as math and science based on the needs of dyslexics; has small class sizes of 10-14 where students receive plenty of individual attention; and teaching staff are qualified and better prepared to work with students who have dyslexia.

More House delivers its broad curriculum within a well-equipped campus that has a very inclusive and friendly learning environment. There are specialist teaching rooms for subjects such as music, ICT, art & design and technology, a dedicated Junior School building, and an excellent school of engineering equipped with commercial equipment needed for students to work on large scale projects. 

The school is small enough to give every student their own bespoke timetable, which includes time for Speech & Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Literacy intervention if needed. There are Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Literacy Therapists, Numeracy Therapists, Cognitive Behavioural Therapists, Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, all on campus and part of the school’s permanent team of staff.

All students at More House work towards studying GCSEs and then A Levels or BTECs in the Sixth Form. Options are not as broad as you may find at larger mainstream schools, but they do cover both academic and creative subject areas and include some less traditional subjects including psychology, photography, and sociology.

Beyond the classroom

Boys have plenty of opportunity to learn new skills, perform, and compete. There are more than 40 different lunchtime and after-school activities ranging from outdoor activities like Manhunt and Football to indoor activities like Dungeons and Dragons, and Film Club.  There are also many leadership opportunities, from school council positions to Young Wellbeing Ambassadors, as well as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme.

Boys can play rugby, football, cricket and hockey, and individual sports such as rock-climbing, judo and golf, and sports facilities include a heated swimming pool. 

Every student in the Junior School takes part in the Junior Band Initiative, and over half the school continues to learn an instrument; chamber concert hall with a Boston Steinway grand piano, a music technology suite, two well-equipped classrooms, a recording studio, and five practice rooms (each with a piano), and the new Steve Forster Studio (a spacious and stylish drum kit teaching space). 

Academic results

Academic results at GCSE, A Level and BTEC are consistently above the national average for good passes.

2022 A Level results: 72% achieved A*-C grades and 34% of A Level grades were A* to A.

2022 GCSE results:

75% achieved Grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) in English Language, and 68% achieved the same success in GCSE maths; 92% secured a good pass in science. 

It’s particularly impressive when you consider that around 60% of More House students 60% of More House’s Year Elevens hold an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCp), recognising a high level of learning difficulties. Also, it’s important to look beyond the grades and recognise the improvements in student wellbeing at More House.

More House’s Headmaster, Jonathan Hetherington, said:

“Many of our students arrive believing they are not clever; they lack confidence in themselves and are convinced they are doomed to failure. These results show just how hard pupils have worked, proving their natural intelligence and potential in society.” 

Boarding

Around a quarter of the boys’ board at More House, and there are options for weekly and full boarding. There are two boarding houses on campus – the Main House for younger boarders and St Anthony’s House for boarders in Year 10 and above – and each student has a dedicated housemaster or housemistress keeping a close, personal watch on them.

Admission and fees

There’s a lengthy admissions process for the school to ensure that a place at More House School “is likely to yield success for the child”. The school requires school reports, possibly an educational psychologist’s report, and an Education, Health and Care plan (if relevant); students also attend an assessment visit of between one and three consecutive days, which involves a Speech and Language assessment and an Occupational Therapy assessment.

Annual fees range from £14,793 to £18,138 for day students, and from £26,331 to £29,676 for full boarders.

Our view

Good for: As the school focuses primarily on teaching children with specific learning differences, you know that your child will be getting an education that is tailormade for their needs. The school’s curriculum and approach is much more flexible than a mainstream school, and your child will have access to a range of tools that can support their learning.

The make-up of the student body can also help your child to feel more relaxed as they are working alongside like-minded students, and this can have a hugely positive effect on their self-worth.

Not for: It’s not a mainstream school so enrolment is for children with dyslexia, Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) only. Also, if your child has mild dyslexia they may still benefit more from being a mainstream state or private school where they can get the help they need.

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