Our school offer
Our aim is to provide pupils with a range of opportunities so that they can reach their full potential.
Redefining education
We redefine education by seamlessly integrating three essential pillars: education, therapy and futures. We don't just educate; we nurture support and propel our pupils towards a future where their potential knows no bounds. Join us on a transformative journey, where education extends beyond textbooks, therapy and nurtures resilience, and futures are shaped with purpose and promise.
Education
We foster an excitement and a love of learning in our pupils by following the national curriculum. Our curriculum and tasks set are challenging yet achievable, enabling children and young people to grow in confidence and prepare for life beyond the classroom. We also provide enrichment activities through educational visits and field trips to support and enhance learning experiences.
With a backdrop of our small class sizes, with no more than nine pupils per class, each child and young person receives a bespoke curriculum tailored to their needs, which is fully integrated with our social development programme.
Our commitment to a well-rounded education includes a focus on social development. Through activities that promote collaboration, friendship, social interaction, and teamwork, pupils build essential interpersonal skills. These experiences help them develop communication, empathy, and the ability to work well with others. By developing friendships and a sense of community, children and young people learn to value diverse perspectives and support one another, creating a positive and inclusive learning environment that strengthens their social growth.
The results speak for themselves as young people leave us with nationally recognised outcomes at a level that is right for them, ranging from entry-level certificates to functional skills, BTECs and GCSEs. This equips them to confidently take their next steps into further education, apprenticeships or employment.
Our outstanding offer
We provide unique learning opportunities for our pupils to help them engage with learning so that they can develop skills and grow in confidence to become proud members of our school community.
We have officially partnered with the Johan Cruyff Foundation, which was set up by one of the world’s greatest sporting icons. The aim of the organisation is to support and develop sports activities for children and young people all over the world.
The school’s state of the art Cruyff Court, is an all-weather pitch which supports small group sports, including football, basketball, volleyball and netball, and an additional grassed field area. The aim of the space is where pupils can grow, make friends and improve their mental health.
Transitioning from primary school to secondary is challenging for any young person and can become a barrier to learning. Our Year 7 nurture setting provides a safe place for pupils to adapt to the change and seamlessly transition to their next chapter in education.
The class is taught by two dedicated teachers and supported by two teaching assistants for the majority of their timetable, where they follow the National Curriculum. Vocational subjects such as PE, Art, Design Technology and IT are taught by subject specialists, which also gives pupils the opportunity to interact with other teachers and explore their new surroundings.
The concept of the Year 7 Nurture Group is underpinned by a therapeutic diet designed for pupils to self-regulate and access support throughout the academic year. The carefully structured setting steadily helps our pupils to transition to Year 8 and beyond, and allows them to make academic progress as well as develop both personally and socially
In order to encourage pupils to develop skills in an area of interest they are partnered with a member of staff who are ‘champions’ and in their role conduct key worker sessions. The sessions are designed to encourage pupils to learn and develop skills as well as communicate their thoughts and feelings to support their positive mental health and wellbeing. Each session is structured and targeted to develop a skill so that over time pupils are able to make personal progress and develop their self-esteem.
For example, one pupil had a keen interest in the armed forces and so was partnered up with a key worker that had previously worked for the armed forces. As part of their key worker sessions they have taken part in forestry school and have enjoyed the challenges of a military camp. Another pupil was partnered with their art champion who linked up with art groups in the local area who work with young women to develop their skills in art.
We strongly believe in providing our pupils with opportunities to experience the world of work through our work experience programme. The Year 10 and 11 cohorts experience working in a range of industries, which provides pupils with the opportunity to plan ahead and carve out a future for themselves in an area of interest.
We actively work on developing partnerships with local businesses so that a range of industries are on offer to pupils. The opportunity to experience the work environment provides pupils the chance to develop their interpersonal skills as well as instilling a sense of ambition and work ethic. This, coupled with our approach in developing their social and emotional skills sets them up in becoming confident and resilient members of both the school and their local communities.
Therapy
Our on-site Clinical Team provide pupils with unrivalled levels of therapeutic support, in terms of the level of expertise, the ratio of qualified therapists and clinicians to children and young people, and the range of therapies offered. Pupils have the support of our Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and other specialists as required.
We believe that unless a child or young person is able to feel emotionally safe and secure, they are less likely to fulfil their personal, social and educational potential. Our unique approach to supporting young people through our Wave Model enables them to go on to realise a future filled with aspiration and achievement.
Chilworth House Upper School's Clinical Team complete thorough and skilled assessments that support a shared understanding of the complex needs we see in our children and young people. This enables us to put purposeful and appropriate interventions in place and assess our effectiveness through the tracking of outcomes and impact.
Futures
At Chilworth House Upper School we are dedicated to raising the aspirations of our pupils, while also equipping them with the skills and confidence to realise outstanding outcomes.
The Futures programme inspires and connects pupils with their next steps beyond education, utilising a growing network of over 350 employer partnerships, including the likes of Microsoft, Mercedes and John Lewis, to provide outstanding experiences of the workplace and ongoing opportunities and support.
Our Futures sessions provide practical guidance on job applications, confidence-building, networking, and workplace expectations, giving children and young people the tools to navigate their career paths with clarity. Complementing this, our Futures curriculum enriches academic growth while developing personal development and career readiness, ensuring they are prepared for their chosen paths. With no upper age limit on support, the programme boasts a 100% success rate in transitioning students into education, employment, or training.