Vision and Values
From teachers to therapists, siblings to midday supervisors – we all have a role in ensuring our children thrive. Anyone, from a friend or volunteer to member of the wider community may have that that extra insight or special connection that makes a huge difference to a particular child.
Sharing our knowledge and understanding through rich, professional conversations, home-school communication tools or simply taking time to listen carefully forms the bedrock of our provision.
A collaborative approach to planning & assessing children’s learning
Effective use of technology to communicate with all stakeholders
Ensuring all families are well-informed – e.g. by ensuring interpreters are present at key meetings, being flexible with how or where we hold meetings, ensuring robust transition for new starters
Embracing opportunities for community engagement
Regular opportunities to work in partnership with other schools
All our children are individuals, of equal worth with the potential to learn, no matter how young or complex their needs. We believe every child learns best when the people around them take the time to observe and understand how they learn best and tailor the curriculum to suit their needs and motivations.
We believe the voice of each child must come through loud and clear. We foster a child-centered approach where children help direct and shape their own learning. Children must feel safe and confident enough to make their own decisions and contribute to their own development. To do this, we must create plenty of opportunities for them to explore and grow and be their own person.
Being radical in our curriculum design and implementation, tailoring it around the unique needs and interests of our learner
Carrying out honest and comprehensive assessments, (through moderation within and beyond school) of our learners on a regular basis which take account of non-linear learning trajectories and are based on ability rather than disability
Keeping the long-term goals, (driven by independence and autonomy) of each individual at the forefront of our thinking when planning and delivering learning opportunities.
Prioritising high quality CPD, relevant to the needs of our learners which builds confidence amongst staff and fosters a passion for pedagogy that meets their unique learning needs
Creating a ‘mistakes are okay’ culture where staff feel confident to experiment, have fun and take calculated risks based on what they think might engage and motivate each learner.
Our learners must revisit skills many times before they learn them and find it much harder to transfer skills to different environments or new situations. We must therefore make the most of every opportunity to practice and rehearse those skills whenever and wherever we can.
Our learners have many more barriers to learning than their mainstream peers. We know they will continue to face social exclusion once they leave our care. It is our moral duty to prepare them as best we can to give them the best possible chance to live fulfilled and meaningful lives.
Building a culture of high quality teaching and learning where all lessons comprise of learning experiences which are evidence-informed, imaginative, age-appropriate and irresistible to the learner, where classrooms are well-resourced and organised and best use is made of the time available
Ensuring our support staff and care teams are informed of and understand curriculum intent and personalised learning goals of the children they work with through, e.g. key stage forums, ‘on-the-job’ modelling, inclusion in PD day planning sessions
Sharing curriculum intent and personalised learning goals with other professionals for them to incorporate when carrying out their interventions
Sharing curriculum intent and personalised learning goals with families through, e.g. termly ‘Share Days’, Parent Information Evenings, sending Learning Maps home, checking and promoting the use of Earwig in the Annual Review
Supporting teachers to write high qualify Learning Map targets that are transferable across the day and across different settings
Promote and support opportunities for enrichment where learners can practice applying their skills in new and unfamiliar contexts
