Courtlands School

Courtlands is committed to providing our children with an outstanding educational experience regardless of their individual learning, behavioural, developmental, or social challenges. We will provide a sanctuary in which individuality, independence, and the joy of learning are celebrated. Learning the skills for a happy and prosperous life will be at the heart of all we do. We will teach our children the value of the relationships between all members of the school family, the wider community, and our environment and provide them with a truly special curriculum. We will support all our children to build bridges over any barriers and overcome their difficulties in learning through innovation and the application of industry best practices. 

When we are assessing a pupil for a place at Courtlands, we look first for evidence from the following criteria: 

EHCP

All pupils will have an education, health, and care plan. We can take requests for EHCP assessment places from the local authority in exceptional circumstances. 

Primary Need/Diagnosis

Identified social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs and moderate learning difficulties, including associated communication and interaction needs. 

Cognition and earning

• Our pupils have moderate learning difficulties, which means that they will be working well below related expectations. 
• Our pupils require significant strategies, high levels of additional adult support, and personalised scaffolding to access independent learning. 

Communication and Interaction

• The communication leaves of our pupils vary. Some of our pupils are pre-verbal, but many can communicate verbally in ways that are appropriate to their developmental age. 
• Our pupils require support with receptive language. 
• Our pupils require support with social interaction. 
• Our pupils, with access to appropriate information and strategies, aspire to be independent members of society. 
• Our pupils have sensory processing needs that can only be met with specialist adaptation or resourcing. 

Physical and Sensory

• Our pupils are mostly independent regarding their intimate and personal care. Some of our pupils require support with this, which we can cater for alongside teaching the necessary knowledge and skills to eventually become independent. 
• Some of our pupils have mild hearing or sight impairments or mild physical needs, but this is not the main reason for their specialist provision. 

Social, Emotional and Mental Health

• Our pupils can regulate themselves in some structured situations with significant effort or adult support. 
• Our pupils can be enabled to understand and manage their emotions in line with their developmental needs and to maintain socially appropriate behaviour and communication in a range of situations and settings. 

This is not an exhaustive or fully comprehensive list, but it communicates the focus of our school setting: 

• We educate primary-aged children (4-11) with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs, cognitive and learning needs, and moderate learning difficulties. 
• We follow the EYFS curriculum and a bespoke curriculum rooted in the national curriculum. 
• We teach students who are on a pathway to a specialist secondary provision, or, in some cases, a mainstream provision, with additional support. 
• We offer a blended academic and wellbeing curriculum personalised to the needs of each child within the context of their developmental and chronological age. 
• We educate pupils in groups that are typically 6-10, with a minimum adult-pupil ratio of 1:4. 
• We make all possible adjustments to our physical environment and learning resources to meet the needs of students to access and achieve their EHCP outcomes. 

A full-time place at Courtlands will provide

• A school day from 9am to 3.10 that provides a broad and balanced range of social, academic, and personal development opportunities to stretch, challenge, and engage students with a range of educational abilities, aptitudes, needs, and areas of interest. 
• Students are taught in groups of between 6 and 10 based upon their learning needs, social interaction skills, SEMH needs, and EHCP needs. Each group will have a minimum adult-student ratio of 1:4. 
• A class timetable is personalised to enable access to sensory breaks and additional support relevant to individual needs as required. 
• An outdoor environment that enables the development of motor and social skills. 
• High expectations regarding learning and social behaviour, communication, and interaction, with a focus on developing skills and strategies to thrive independently in a real-world setting. 
• A regular and consistent curriculum focuses on wellbeing, physical and mental health, relationships, safety, and citizenship. 
• Targeted provision to support pupils throughout their time at Courtlands includes access to further support when needed, such as occupational therapy, play therapy, speech and language therapy, and educational psychology support. 
• A holistic learning schemata rooted in the national curriculum, modified to meet the needs of the Courtlands pupils. 
• A transition package when joining Courtlands and when moving on to their next provision. 
• A blended academic and therapeutic curriculum tailored to the needs of each pupil includes 
• A total communication approach, including consistent use of visuals throughout the school. 
• A therapeutic environment and resources with all staff trained in de-escalation and specialist support strategies for students with social, emotional, and mental health needs. 
• All possible adjustments to our physical environment and resources to meet the needs of pupils. 
• If you are eligible for school transport, this will be provided by the local authority you reside in. 

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