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.
The school day starts with pupils and staff enjoying breakfast together. They then go on to enjoy form time, which incorporates a range of activities designed to explore Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural areas. During these sessions, staff take the time to start social conversations, allowing children to express how they are feeling. By having a natural conversation and using Zones of Regulation (a social-emotional learning framework), they can self-identify how they feel and categorise it based on colour from a standardised chart. The process also helps them to better understand their emotions, sensory needs and thinking patterns.
Our curriculum places creativity at the centre of learning. In Key Stages 1, 2, and select Key Stage 3 classes, many subjects such as Art, Design and Technology, Food Technology, Music, and Drama are taught through creative projects. These themes are often inspired by primary history, geography, or science topics, allowing pupils to immerse themselves deeply in their learning.
For example, when studying the planets, one class crafted a papier-mâché solar system. Each pupil chose a planet, researched it, and presented their findings to the class. They also explored ‘space’ themed music and created their compositions, imagining what it might be like to visit another planet and return to Earth.
In each topic, pupils have the chance to develop their creative talents. This creative, immersive approach significantly enhances their enjoyment of a theme or topic and in turn, their progress. Through these hands-on, visual, and cross-curricular projects, pupils’ retention and understanding improve as they engage with the content.
Our creative curriculum is especially well-suited for pupils who thrive in visual and kinaesthetic learning environments, offering abundant hands-on, practical experiences that enrich their education.
Our Enrichment Curriculum serves to develop children and young people’s skills and talents that will serve them well into the future by tapping into their interests and building on their strengths. Pupils are given the opportunity to select from a wide range of activities, exploring areas that spark their curiosity and allow them to expand their abilities.
Within each area of the Enrichment Curriculum, our team strive to ensure activities are engaging, enjoyable, and enriching. The programme often includes off-site excursions and guest visits from local experts who share their knowledge and experience with pupils. Many children and young people discover such a passion for these activities that they pursue them further within their communities, joining clubs and classes in areas like fishing, golf, horse riding, trampolining, and volunteering.
The true success shines through in the moments when a pupil makes a personal breakthrough, discovering their abilities, talents, and potential.
To foster social awareness and a spirit of inclusivity, our school community comes together to celebrate awareness days, support charitable causes, take part in community trips, and welcome visitors. We recognise the importance of helping pupils understand the world and encouraging them to become responsible, engaged citizens. Our Personal Development Curriculum offers each pupil opportunities to support both local and national charities and learn what it means to be safe members of their community.
Each day concludes with a 15-minute reflection session. This time offers pupils with the chance to reflect on what they’ve done well, what they’re proud of, and areas for improvement. It also serves as a moment to prepare them for the next day, such as informing them about themed days or events, visitors and outings, helping them feel more settled.
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.
Lakeside 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 Lakeside 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.