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.
After breakfast, children and young people head to their tutor groups, where they start the first 30 minutes with a dedicated to a ‘Ready to Learn’ session, a time for pupils settle in, share thoughts, and engage in reading. The focus on reading is flexible and inclusive. Some days involve quiet independent reading, where each learner chooses a book from the school library. Other days, teachers may read aloud to the class or pupils can volunteer to read aloud, using a system called "popcorn" where they pass on the reading; this method encourages participation without pressure. On certain days, they are free to read non-fiction, such as articles from magazines or content related to personal interests, like gaming. The key is to encourage a love for reading in all its forms.
Our commitment to reading extends throughout the day. It plays a pivotal role in every lesson, and it’s not confined to fiction; it can encompass anything that helps pupils engage and expand their knowledge.
Reading at our school isn’t just about literacy development. It's also about emotional well-being. Many find comfort in reading, using it to calm down when they're feeling overwhelmed. We provide spaces like our library, designed to be a peaceful sanctuary, where pupils can retreat and immerse themselves in a book. For some, especially those with specific interests, such as computers, reading about their passion becomes a form of escapism and relaxation.
Ultimately, reading at our school serves both educational and therapeutic purposes. It enhances vocabulary, promotes critical thinking, and provides an emotional outlet, allowing children and young people to explore new worlds, ideas, and interests in a supportive and welcoming environment.
At Dovetree, we are committed to providing a broad and dynamic curriculum that engages pupils academically, creatively, and practically. Our combination of core subjects with creative arts, outdoor learning, and enrichment programmes ensures that each pupil has the opportunity to explore their passions. By doing so, we have created a learning environment that promotes personal growth, self-expression, and skill development across a wide range of subjects.
We place great value on creative subjects and have woven a diverse selection into our curriculum. These subjects are taught by experienced professionals, many of whom bring extensive industry experience. For instance, drama is taught by a professional actor, and media studies are led by a former BBC TV producer. We also have experts in photography, music, and art, allowing pupils to gain deep insights into both the technical and creative aspects of these fields. This approach helps learners express themselves and develop skills that reach beyond the classroom.
Our Friday afternoon enrichment programme stands out as a cornerstone of our curriculum. It focuses on six key areas:
- Drama
- Photography
- Food Technology
- Sports
- Art
- Music
Pupils participates in one area for six weeks, working on a specific project that culminates in a final performance, artwork, or presentation. For example, in drama, pupils may create a performance, while music work on composing a song. These projects build technical skills and also encourage teamwork, creativity, and project management.
Through this enrichment, pupils unknowingly work toward BTEC qualifications, earning credits across the year by completing their projects. This approach helps learners to build confidence and skills without the pressure of traditional assessments, enhancing their overall educational experience.
Outdoor learning is an integral part of our curriculum, offering pupils the chance to engage with nature, develop life skills, and build resilience.
All secondary, pupils participate in weekly forest school activities. They engage in fire-building, outdoor cooking, shelter construction, and basic survival skills, all while learning teamwork and trust. This hands-on learning environment allows them to develop problem-solving skills and foster social connections in a natural setting.
The Duke of Edinburgh programme starts with an on-site camping experience where pupils pitch tents, prepare meals, and practice essential outdoor survival skills. This experience fosters self-sufficiency, responsibility, and perseverance, equipping pupils with the foundation they need for more challenging outdoor adventures in the years to come.
These experiences enhance problem-solving and social skills, and also lay the foundations for more ambitious challenges, preparing our children and young people for future success both in and out of the classroom.
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.
Dovetree 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 Dovetree 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.