Unlocking Potential For Happy Successful Lives

Welcome From the Directors

Welcome to Bettws Lifehouse

Bettws Lifehouse has been a successful Independent Special School in Wales since 2007. In 2022, we have expanded over the border into England to be able to offer more students and their families the opportunity to experience the Lifehouse approach to education and life.

Fundamentally our approach is quite simple. The child is paramount!  

Everything is built around an individuals needs from the very beginning.  A bespoke curriculum and timetable, a small support team and time to gain confidence and self knowledge.  

Many of our pupils have had challenges within the education system, We go right back to basics and build relationships, self confidence and a real sense of safety from the outset.  Once this is in place, learning will follow.
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Our reputation for positive outcomes is excellent. Students can go on to University, Further Education, or into the workplace. Please take a look at our results and case studies pages to see for yourself some of the amazing achievements our young people have gained.           
As the Founding Directors we are incredibly proud of all our students, past and present, our​ staff team and our results. 

We are a family run business with family values and a core nurturing ethos.     

We hope that we will be able to be able to offer you the support you are looking for and that this web site can give you a little taste of Lifehouse! 

Please do get in touch.

Kay, Meg and Adrian  

Our School

Why Choose Us? 

Our Core Values

About Us

Holistic education is based on the principle that pupils can find identity and purpose in life by connecting to nature, human values and their communities. 

We want to provide not only academic success, but also the strategies to cope with the challenges of life and living beyond the school environment. Important emphasis within our curriculum is given to learning about yourself, relationships, responsibility, resilience and empathy with others.

 Nurture groups were originally designed to help children experience nurturing and warm relationships with an adult in a safe and secure, predictable environment.  This in turn promotes social, emotional and cognitive development (Boxall 2002).

Back in 2007, Meg and Kay recognised the need for a provision that could provide holistic education, taking account of a child’s needs and showing empathy, patience and integrity. 

They had backgrounds in working with children with a myriad of needs both in mainstream and in Social Inclusion settings. It was clear there was a missing option for children and parents when things were not working out. 

The Lifehouse was established to meet those needs, drawing on nurture group learning, and trauma informed practice. From the outset we had Maslows Hierarchy of Need in the forefront of our minds. 

Every child should:
 Feel safe and valued
 Be comfortable, warm and cared for
 Have a day balanced between hard work and play and exploration
 Enjoy fresh air and exercise and know that these support a healthy mind
 Experience positive relationships with peers and adults

And now?  
Over the years we have developed and evolved, learning from our pupils, their families, experts and authorities to create our own unique setting.  

We have a school sites in Bettws Cedewain, in Mid Wales and in Shrewsbury. Both sites absolutely draw on nature and the tranquillity of green space. 









Within all of these strands are multi layers of complexity and nuances.  For example we have experience of working with pupils who have PDA profiles, low mood and self-harm, severe anxiety, agoraphobia, significant trauma and ACE’s.

Please do get in touch if you think we may be able to help. 

We are registered with the Dept of Education and Ofsted as a Special School for children aged between 5 and 19 who may have:

 Social and emotional needs
 Mental health issues and anxiety
 On the Autistic spectrum
 Moderate Learning Difficulties