The Court Special School

The Court School is a special school for pupils with additional learning needs arising from Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties (BESD). The school caters for 42 primary aged pupils, who have a statement of Special Educational Needs (SEN). Many of the pupils who attend have additional 'barriers to learning' including ADHD, ASD, ODD and mental health difficulties. The staff-pupil ratio is high with at least 1 teacher and 2 teaching assistants in each of the classes. The curriculum that is provided for pupils is personalised with a strong emphasis on the wellbeing of pupils.

The curriculum we provide for pupils at the Court School is highly personalised. We focus on teaching pupils what they need to know using the approaches that work for them. The focus is on positive engagement and FUN! Generally, key literacy and numeracy skills are taught throughout the mornings and pupils then have opportunities to apply these skills throughout the afternoons when the focus is on topic work. The topics that are chosen for the class, usually for a half term period, are closely matched to the interests of the pupils.

We believe in 'hands on' practical and experiential learning - this is how many of our pupils learn best! We also organise regular trips out of school to enhance pupils' learning and to give them opportunities to refine their skills. The wellbeing of our pupils is our number one priority and we understand that pupils learn best when they are regulated, calm and happy. Therefore; we prioritise relationships, play lots of games and give pupils plenty of 'brain breaks' and 'time out' when they need it.

We know that (initially) many pupils who come to the Court School struggle to understand and manage their emotions so there is a strong emphasis on helping them with this. We talk about 'self-regulation' a lot and help pupils develop strategies to calm when 'in crisis'. We have high expectations of our pupils and operate a points system with daily/weekly rewards. We often find they make very good progress during their time at The Court School both academically and in relation to their social/emotional functioning. Our curriculum is very flexible and is continually adapted to meet the needs of pupils/classes. We are continually striving to improve and develop our offering and if we don't feel something is working we change and adapt it so it better meets the needs of learners.

Motto

'Keep Calm - Keep Learning'...

Values

• Keep everyone safe
• Stay positive
• Communicate effectively
• Respect our differences
• Be flexible
• Maintain high expectations