A teenager with special educational needs who became too anxious to attend school is now pursuing her dream career working with animals. Molly struggled in her mainstream school due to the noise, number of people and overall demands of the setting. Her anxiety became so severe that she eventually stopped attending school altogether.
She later joined Hatfield Wick Education, near Chelmsford, a specialist provider for children and young people who find traditional education settings inaccessible due to trauma, anxiety, neurodiversity or mental health challenges. The move marked a significant turning point and saw Molly's attendance rise from virtually zero in mainstream school to more than 90%. She was supported to re-engage with learning in a way that felt safe, manageable and meaningful.
Alongside this, staff helped Molly achieve the grades she needed to begin working towards her ambition of becoming a dog groomer. She also gained work experience with a local dog grooming business, helping her take important early steps towards her chosen career. After leaving Hatfield Wick, Molly is continuing to pursue that goal. She is now studying dog grooming at college and working at a doggy day care setting, where she hopes to secure a job offer or apprenticeship once she completes her course.
Molly said: 'The best thing about Hatfield Wick was the relationships with staff. Everyone was so kind and genuine. I felt like they really cared. The small groups made it easier for everyone to get along. It meant I could be sociable if I felt like it but also take a step back if I wasn't. If you were having a bad day, there was always someone to talk to. They would help you and they didn't judge, so I never worried about saying what was wrong. It's something you just don't get in mainstream schools. Hatfield Wick Education really helped me believe I could learn again.'
Hatfield Wick Education is aiming to support even more young people in Essex through its proposed new Whitelands campus, due to open in September, subject to approval from the Department for Education. It would initially have capacity for 30 students. Plans include a dedicated therapeutic centre with spaces for one-to-one and group therapy, calm low-arousal zones, a sensory room accessible throughout the day, a specialist learning intervention centre with sound-proofed booths for rebuilding core literacy and numeracy skills in a low-stimulus setting, and a creative arts studio for non-verbal expression and enrichment. For more information about the proposed Whitelands school campus, visit Hatfield Wick Education's website.
