Every boy in the school has a different personality, different background and different needs.  Some will have significant additional needs. These arise from physical disability or medical condition, emotional and behavioural issues, not having English as their first language, or learning needs.

A strong Special Needs Department, with 4 teachers and some 28 support staff, provides specialist teaching and care for these pupils within the department and out in the school at large. The aim is to balance withdrawal from mainstream lessons with the goal of integrating pupils with additional needs into the normal life of the school.

Pupils who enter the school with reading and numeracy levels significantly below those required to access the secondary curriculum are provided with focused catch-up classes in Figures (Year 7).