Slindon College

Slindon College is an independent day and boarding school for boys aged 8 - 18, set in the historic Slindon House, located in the South Downs National Park. Slindon College provides outstanding transformative education and pastoral care for boys who will thrive in a specialist learning environment more suited to Specific Learning Difficulties, Developmental Language Disorders and associated conditions. Our social and intelligent boys have had setbacks in mainstream settings and the College offers a well-developed pathway for their future success.

We have looked at the College’s offer and feel these six areas represent the future for our development and continued success.

We want every boy to feel valued, to have opportunities and to experience challenge and accomplishment. We will do this with guidance from our Governors, links with the wider education community and by rigorous self assessment. The values of enjoyment, endeavour and unity hold the College and its family of students and staff together in a journey of discovery.

Slindon College aims for outstanding teaching, where engagement and the learning journey are given priority. We recognise that learning takes many pathways and that each pupil has their own learning style. Slindon College will see that these learning pathways are fully supported with; Specialist Teachers, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and 1:1 practitioners. They will share best practice across the whole education team. Their expertise will lead imaginative approaches to breaking down the barriers to success. Every opportunity will be taken to utilise the grounds and the community in bringing learning to life.

Slindon College will provide classrooms fit for the technological advances being experienced by our pupils. The College wants its teachers to explore the range of devices available, building the shared exploration of these innovations into their planning. The drive for assisted technology across all subject areas will be partnered with the breadth of software directly designed to support the specific pathways for our pupils.

The College provides a curriculum that allows personal development and the breadth of experience that encourages success and life-long engagement in learning. We will introduce Music to the KS3 curriculum, develop our own music technology course and hopefully offer a bespoke music recording studio. This will be open to local schools and the community to access. The strengthening of languages will prepare our pupils for the global stage; our pupils will grow with others from countries around the world and build international friendships and possible career links for their futures. Above all our curriculum will offer the necessary challenges which help build resilience. Not every route is an easy one and the values of application and perseverance are encouraged. Every day presents opportunities for pupils to extend their reach.

Slindon College has recognised the need to prepare pupils for their next steps. When leaving the College, our pupils need to be prepared and keen for the challenges ahead. We will build links with local Colleges and Universities that will give our boys the experience needed to make this transition a positive step. At Slindon we expect our sixth form to experience regular work placements, to try out possible careers and to accept the guidance we offer in steering them to an agreed outcome. The parent/college communication links are vital in a unified plan for every pupils future.

The College will ensure that it is positioned correctly in the current wealth of outstanding independent schools as a vital part of this offer. The College will work hard to develop this network of outstanding provisions which will allow a wider choice for all parents. The spread of ideas and partnerships that are possible between our schools is key to closing the net that so many young men fall through. Education should be innovative and exciting and offering choice allows a parent the chance to restart their child’s journey, not out of necessity, but through a well-developed plan.