A tailored approach to education
Our ethos centres on helping students to achieve an outstanding level of education – whatever their individual starting point or situation.
Each student joins us with a unique set of abilities, so we take a tailored approach to teaching and learning, planning creative learning journeys based on students’ individual needs and interests. This ensures a broad and balanced timetable that is informed through the work of our Multi-Disciplinary Team. Our holistic approach to education encourages each student’s personal growth and development.
Students follow a thematic, skills-based approach to reasonably integrate elements of the curriculum and ensure, context, skills and knowledge across Key Stages 1 – 3. This ensures progression and coverage.
In Key Stage 4 students move towards a core curriculum of English, Mathematics and IT with a personalised timetable to enable them to work towards qualifications that will support them in accessing further education or transitioning into work.
How we work
Our curriculum is planned and sequenced to build knowledge and skills. Alongside the National Curriculum, we use the Dimensions, ‘Learning means the world’ curriculum. This ensures we provide continuity and progression through a wide range of learning opportunities and experiences so that students are equipped with the academic skills and knowledge to become successful citizens of the future.
We aim to ensure that being a part of our school is fun, nurturing and aspirational. Subject Leaders and Teaching staff plan using the key tools of Intent, Implementation and Impact.
Intent – This is the vision driving the subject area linked to the whole curriculum, which is shared with everyone.
Implementation – This part of the design is how the INTENT will be achieved including evidence, content and delivery.
Impact – This is what the students have learnt as a result of the INTENT and IMPLEMENTATION and includes assessment and evaluations.
Understanding our curriculum
Our curriculum is a continuum. Where students start and the rate at which they progress along the continuum depends on several individual factors: where they are within their therapeutic journey and where they are in their personal and academic learning. At all times staff work as a team to ensure that students have the right individual support and learning that they need to succeed and achieve.
Integrating our core values
Our core values to care, nurture and inspire underpin our moral purpose to provide an integrated therapeutic curriculum that enables our vulnerable students to thrive and ‘be the best they can be’. We do this by focusing on personal success, positive identity, and cultural and social awareness.
Outdoor Learning and our Local Curriculum
We follow an evidence-led approach to outdoor learning and play, forming a key part of our curriculum. Learning outdoors contributes to raising standards, improving students’ personal, social and emotional development and directly links to increasing young people’s cognitive ability and attention.
Our students benefit from being able to access a range of activities within our school grounds and in the wider community including forest school, bush craft, swimming, kayaking, climbing as well as taking part in planned visits and school trips. Providing these educational experiences using the outdoor environment helps students to develop their confidence, social skills, communication, teamwork and knowledge of the world around them.