The Learning Day
Our learning day runs from 9am to 2.30pm. Children aged 5 -16 years old attend for two days each week during term time; this is for thirty-nine weeks of the year. Our Oak population attend on a Monday and Tuesday and our Yew population attend on a Wednesday and Thursday. Each Friday staff complete essential tracking, planning, and training. Friday is also a day when parents and carers are able to discuss their young persons journey with the team and access support. Our 'base rooms' are divided by age, but there is flexibility within this set-up to allow for individual ability. We also offer a small stand alone sensory hub catering for individuals with SEND needs.
We are proud to be a truly unique and child led setting where emotional wellbeing and happiness is the priority.
Many of our young people join us unable to engage in formal learning and instead benefit from close adult support exploring our environment, connecting with the animals and nature and the wider community only occasionally popping in to see the base-room cohorts and lead teachers.
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For those ready to explore our learning day each day begins with a group catch-up with staff and friends and a chance to discuss the topics and themes of the week. At this point staff can decide how to begin the day’s learning, working from a flexible lesson plan which can be spontaneously adapted to account for weather, student engagement opportunity, and group dynamic on the day. Each group is managed by a lead teacher who is supported by qualified support staff and consultant practitioners each week. The lead teacher works in a one-to-one or small group with each student at different points through the day i to support maths, science and English at a pace and duration to suit each child’s capability on the day.
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We break for lunch at 12:00. Our on-site kitchen provides healthy balanced meals for children and staff, using many ingredients sourced from the students’ kitchen garden. Staff eat with the children in their class groups and outdoors for alfresco dining in good weather.
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Each Monday and Wednesday we hold a whole setting 'Wow time' where young people are invited to gather with staff and discuss the big topics of the week or anything else they feel they would like to voice and debate! There is no expectation to attend so it is up to setting leads to make it curiosity inducing!
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At the end of each day classes relax and wind down ready to transition home and share their adventures with parents, carers and siblings.
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