Our curriculum covers all areas of student development. We work closely with students, families and professionals to ensure that the full curriculum is available and delivered in an accessible way.
Cognition and Learning
We deliver a broad and balanced academic curriculum, differentiated to meet the individual strengths and challenges of our students. We acknowledge that some students will have missed significant portions of the taught curriculum and we are committed to working to fill the gaps in their knowledge and skills.
We also recognise that some students will show aptitude in particular subjects and we will adapt our teaching to build on these strengths.
Our Educational Psychologists provide support and training for our staff to enable them to deliver targeted interventions, embed therapy into the curriculum and make adjustments to curriculum delivery in response to individual barriers to learning.
Our aim is for all of our students to learn at an age-appropriate academic level and study a range and number of GCSEs comparable to their peers in mainstream schools. This will widen their future options in terms of educational provision and workplaces.
Communication and interaction
Our Speech and Language Therapist works closely with our teaching and support staff to integrate strategies for developing communication and social skills across the school day.
Students learn about the different forms of verbal and non-verbal communication, conversation skills and other aspects of interaction that will support them in school, the wider community, and life beyond school.
We build into the timetable opportunities to spend time in the wider community and learn about local businesses, offering a wide range of educational visits and outdoor pursuits. These are planned carefully, with sensitivity to the needs of each student.
Sensory and physical
Our buildings have been specifically selected to improve the sensory experiences of our students during their time in school. The quiet, rural setting, spacious rooms and large outdoor areas are complemented by carefully planned furnishings, decor and resources
Students have access to various withdrawal spaces inside the building and outdoors which offer a variety of sensory experiences, so they can choose what works best for them. These withdrawal spaces are available for calming, resting or for use when students find it easier to work in a quieter place, away from their peers for a while.
There are sensory toys available in classrooms, outdoor dining options and safe spaces to meet movement needs . Our Occupational Therapist provides staff with advice about individual, student-centred strategies which can be implemented through curriculum activities and break times, as part of our approach to integrated therapeutic support. This includes strategies to reduce the impact of sensory differences, enhance fine and gross motor skills, support emotional regulation, and facilitate the development of self-care skills and physical well-being. We routinely provide adapted writing materials, surfaces, seats and other resources to support our integrated approach to therapy.
Social, emotional and mental health
We provide opportunities for supported social interaction, facilitating the development of sustainable friendships amongst like-minded peers.
We promote an ethos of flexibility that enables students to feel safe and supported throughout their school day.
Our on-site therapists work with teaching and support staff to provide a range of strategies and adjustments tailored to meet the emotional and mental health needs of each student. We acknowledge that previous school experiences can have a significant impact on some students. We work to provide consistently positive experiences that, over time, help to reduce anxiety and build the resilience required for moving on to further education, higher education and employment.