Your school guide
Darwin School
Darwin School supports pupils aged 11–16 with social, emotional and additional educational needs.
Independent school · Thirsk, North Yorkshire
Prepare with confidence.
Explore the entry route to Darwin School below. Supporting a younger child with the 11+ too? Discover Plusling’s original questions, clear explanations and friendly daily practice.
Try five free questions. See the feedback for yourself.
Meet the school
At a glance
Facts checked
- Provision
- Specialist alternative provision, primarily via local-authority placement
- Darwin School / Pebbles Care
Baldersby St James, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 4PT
Plan your approach
Entry information
Darwin School is registered for ages 11–16 and serves pupils with social, emotional and mental-health needs and additional educational needs. The admissions policy describes internal placement from Pebbles children’s homes and external local-authority referrals; a multi-disciplinary review checks suitability and plans transition. This is not a selective 11+ route.
Entry stage: Key Stages 3–4; ages 11–16
The admissions process
- A pupil may be placed internally from a Pebbles children’s home or externally through a local authority referral.
- For external referrals, the school, pupil and family visit; if the school is judged suitable in principle, a multi-disciplinary transition plan is agreed.
- The school gathers the pupil’s age, educational history, support needs, health and risk information to determine whether the placement is appropriate and can be supported.
- An individual timetable is planned around age, aptitude and ability. Initial academic and social assessments take place during the first six weeks after admission.
Read the official details: Admissions information from Department for Education
Go to the source
Official links for your shortlist
Use the school’s current admissions information to check which sample papers or familiarisation materials apply to your child’s entry year.
From subjects to skills
Explore Plusling’s 11+ practice subjects.
For families preparing for the 11+, these four practice areas offer a useful starting point. Use the relevant official assessment guidance to choose the skills your child needs.
English
A useful place to start
Read a short passage together. Ask your child to find evidence for an answer and explain unfamiliar words in context.
Build on it with Plusling
Build on that reading with Plusling’s English questions and explanations, then choose a topic to practise again.
Start the 5-question English quizMaths
A useful place to start
Ask your child to explain their method, estimate the answer and check the final calculation. Notice which step needs more practice.
Build on it with Plusling
Use Plusling’s original maths questions and worked explanations to make those next practice sessions count.
Start the 5-question maths quizVerbal reasoning
A useful place to start
Talk through word relationships, letter patterns and codes. Encourage your child to explain the rule before choosing an answer.
Build on it with Plusling
Explore words and logic with Plusling’s verbal reasoning quizzes, with feedback that helps the next attempt feel clearer.
Start the 5-question verbal reasoning quizNon-verbal reasoning
A useful place to start
Look for changes in shape, position, shading and direction. Work out one rule at a time before checking it against the choices.
Build on it with Plusling
Give visual reasoning another go in Plusling, with original puzzles and explanations your child can return to.
Start the 5-question non-verbal reasoning quizKeep the practical steps clear
Your application starting points
Use the official links on this page to answer these questions for your child’s entry year.
Check the entry point and eligibility
Confirm the year group, age requirements and any conditions that apply to your child.
Put the right dates in your diary
Note any published registration, assessment, application and offer-response dates that apply to your child’s route. They may be separate steps.
Check the assessment guidance
If an assessment applies, look for official examples, question formats, timings and answer instructions to help plan your child’s preparation.
Check fees and financial support
Look at fees, bursaries and scholarships, including any separate forms, evidence and deadlines.
Picture your child’s everyday life here.
An open day is a chance to look beyond the exam. Useful questions to take with you:
- How do you help new pupils settle in and make friends?
- Who can a child turn to when they feel worried or stuck?
- How do you help pupils recover from a setback and discover their strengths?
Know where to focus
Give their preparation a clear direction.
See the topics your child has practised, revisit questions that need another look and choose a focus for the next session. Plusling helps you put your time where it can be useful.
- Topic summaries and practice history
- Choose topics in Focus Practice
- Progress to discuss with the adults helping them
For families preparing for the 11+
Discover a friendlier way to practise.
Try Plusling together. Five free questions, clear explanations and a useful first step for your family’s 11+ preparation.
Before you apply
- The admissions policy is signed 1 September 2025 and was due for review in September 2026; ask the school for the current policy and referral route.
- The registered age range includes age 11, but this is specialist placement, not a general Year 7 or selective 11+ application.
Plusling’s guide to Darwin School is independently written. The school and its admissions authority publish the official arrangements.
Contains government school-register data licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Primary sources
- Darwin School: school details Department for Education
- Darwin School Admissions Policy Darwin School / Pebbles Care
- Darwin School - Pebbles Education Pebbles Care
- Darwin School SEND Policy Darwin School / Pebbles Care