Our school offer

The school’s vocational offer enhances the teaching and learning experience of our pupils studying at Key Stage 4, by providing opportunities that equips them with vocational skills for life. A wide range of courses and accreditations present experiences and opportunities that will assist them in life beyond school and in future employment.

The highly equipped areas are taught by teachers who have industry experience, allowing our pupils to gain real insights and resulting in them having high levels of confidence, independence and enthusiasm to succeed in their chosen next steps. The offer also allows for increased levels of positive engagement between pupils and staff, thus resulting in raising aspirations and career goals.

The vocational offer includes the following subjects:

• Car Mechanics
• Plastering
• Plumbing
• Electrical
• Construction
• Hair and Beauty Salon
• Horticulture

Pupils at Key Stage 3 can enjoy taster sessions so that they too can start planning for their future careers.

To help engage our pupils with their learning and personal development, we strongly believe that they need to feel safe, cared for and accepted. To achieve this, the staff team work together to get to know each pupil and share their aspirations for them to help set achievable goals for their time at Hartwell School and beyond. This approach enables pupils to progress and reach milestones in their social and emotional development and go on to achieve a range of awards and qualifications. All this contributes to pupils looking forward to the next chapter of their lives with increased confidence as they have knowledge, skills and experiences.

This ethos of building strong relationships also extends to the parents and carers of our pupils, who we work in partnership with to deliver the desired outcomes for their child.

Pupils that are highly anxious are referred to the nurture group that help to support their social and emotional development. Our nurture class is a dedicated classroom supported by clinical, pastoral, teaching and support staff, who work to ensure that the right level of support is provided and goals are set to measure outcomes.

The specialised classroom is designed to support the needs of pupils and allow for opportunities to build trusting relationships with teachers and highly trained teaching assistants, who consistently work to develop social and communication skills, whilst also developing the resilience of our pupils so that they can progress and prepare for life beyond school.

The carefully structured setting steadily helps our pupils to transition to their classroom where they are able to engage with learning along with their peers

Elected pupils make up the Junior Leadership Team, who regularly meet to discuss ideas to develop teaching and learning.

The opportunity allows members to continually reflect on the school’s offer and explore ways to make teaching and learning more meaningful. This collaborative approach has contributed to the school establishing its own football team who have grown in skills and confidence. The Junior Leadership Team also shared their wishes for a pool table in the lounge area and along with their rationale, submitted the rules and regulations that should be in place resulting in one being ordered and now in full use.

The team also develop their social skills so that they confidently contribute to the wider community by entering conversations with the school’s Senior Leadership Team, where they discuss, negotiate and arrange topics to help improve the teaching and learning experience for everyone.

To gain an appreciation of the outdoors, pupils access outdoor education where they are given opportunities to explore new activities and the local area in a safe and supported way so that they recognise the range of opportunities that it offers.

Activities include:

• Climbing
• Walking
• Forestry
• Mountain biking
• Kayaking

During outdoor education sessions, pupils work together to complete tasks and develop a range of skills that are easily transferable into many aspects of their lives, including both the classroom and their home environment. Participating in new and exciting activities enables pupils to take calculated risks that empower them, resulting in increased confidence and intrigue for their next challenge. Working as part of a team has also helped pupils to develop and sustain relationships with peers and teachers so that they are able to work effectively and master new skills.

Outdoor education has also made pupils aware of environmental issues and more conscious about their actions and the importance of making informed choices.