Northern House Academy is described by parents as ‘life changing’ for their children. From the moment pupils start here, they are enveloped into a warm, inclusive culture and quickly develop a sense of belonging. They are truly understood and accepted into the life of the school. They are encouraged to be authentically themselves. One pupil’s view was that staff ‘really care about me, in their hearts’. As a result, pupils feel safe and happy, and they flourish. The atmosphere around school is inescapably positive. The staff know pupils exceptionally well and set high expectations. Pupils rise to these, and proactively engage in their learning with high levels of concentration. Pupils’ social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs underpin the whole approach to learning. Through a carefully designed holistic curriculum, they are taught to reflect on their emotions and identify and develop personal strategies to self-regulate. Each day, pupils have multiple opportunities for ‘emotional check-ins’. This gives them continuous opportunities to reflect on their behaviour and choices and have a fresh start as often as needed. This creates a remarkably calm and happy environment, where everyone can concentrate in class. Through these embedded approaches, pupils develop high levels of self-awareness and empathy.