Residential schools in north/north east England?

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Asking for a friend. Her son with HFA is at mainstream and is coping ok with full time support but is only in yr 2 and she thinks he might struggle long term. But he is also incredibly difficult at home and is stretching the family unit to its limit. I have no knowledge of residential placements or even how you get one so can't advise her.
Has anyone got any experience, good or bad?

No experience but there's not a lot up here. It generally has to be arranged via the LEA, just as with any placement. The Priory school in Darlington is day only and not a good placement into secondary age if your friend has hopes that her son will pursue academic course - their qualifications are vocational only. There's a priory school in Chorley, Lancashire, which offers residential placements. Thornhill park in Sunderland offers residential placements but, again, offers vocational courses only.

Other schools I've found, but know nothing at all about are:
Breckenbrough School in Thirsk (actually, glad I stumbled on that - it looks like what DS1 will need!)
Robert Ogden School in Rotherham

Thank you for starting this thread. I do appear to have found something that makes me feel a little less despondent about DS1's possible future!

Heard v. good things about Breckenbrough - if you live in the local LA to this school expect a v. hard fought battle to get a place though.

Thanks for the recommendations,I'll pass them on. Is it a tough fight to get residential then?

There's also Northern counties. In fact we are about to embark on pursuing a placement at Northern Counties or Thornhill.

Do northern counties deal with higher functioning children as well?

I've heard good things about Pontville in Lancashire for HFA.

We're not in North Yorkshire. I expect a fight, anyhow, even though we've been told by DS1's psych that our LEA has no suitable secondary provision for him.