Background
& History

The company, formed by Jon Lees and Steve Lord, opened its first establishment,  Avocet House, in Norfolk in April 2005, providing high quality residential care and education with a difference. Having had a successful track record in working with children with special educational needs in the maintained residential special school sector, Steve and Jon saw great potential for innovation and development of their vision through an independent company where the “no limits” thinking could be applied

Avocet House quickly built an outstanding reputation producing exceptional outcomes for high complex young people whose previous history was a downward spiral of rejection and failure. In 2012 SES opened Avocet’s sister home, Turnstone House. Both schools have been judged as OUTSTANDING by Ofsted and indeed Avocet was continuously judged as outstanding for 12 consecutive years.

SES Ltd was conceived and continues to operate around a passionate conviction: all children, regardless of past difficulties and traumas, have the internal resources, however fragmented, to manage successful transitions to independence and educational achievement given appropriate support. They may well also have previously undiscovered gifts and talents that can be developed.

Most in need of this faith and belief are those children who are in 52 week care with the highest needs and most complex situations.