Stretton Shires School is an independent specialist school that caters for Autistic children and young people aged 11-19. Our curriculum centres on Autism and related needs, and this supported by our fully integrated clinical team.
At Stretton Shires School, we recognise that all pupils benefit from developing strong communication and interaction skills, as well as learning how to understand and manage their physical and sensory needs. These foundations support positive social, emotional, and mental health, and enable pupils to fully engage with learning across the curriculum and supports them to access the world around them. We call this “Wellbeing & Learning for Independence“.
Our ethos is guided by one clear principle: children and young people are at the heart of everything we do. Supporting them to achieve their potential is essential, but equally important is ensuring that what matters to them truly matters to us.
We are committed to valuing every pupil as an individual. Children and young people are encouraged to make choices, express themselves, and be active participants in their school experience. Every member of staff champions the pupils they work with and advocates for their needs.
We believe in strong, collaborative relationships with families. By working in partnership, we share a commitment to each young person’s wellbeing and benefit from the insight, knowledge, and experience that families bring.
Our pupils have a wide range of academic abilities, communication styles, and learning needs. To support this diversity, we offer a variety of learning pathways designed to help every young person thrive.
Stretton Shires School Values, Vision & Intent
Values: We are committed to promoting “Wellbeing & Learning for Independence”.
Our Values explained…
- ‘Wellbeing’ represents the unconditional positive regard that is given to all pupils, enabling them to overcome and manage their varied and complex needs.
- ‘Learning’ represents the commitment to providing our pupils with purposeful, relevant, and engaging learning opportunities that result in them gaining the knowledge, understanding and skills that support them to navigate adult life and access developmentally appropriate opportunities for living, further learning/education, volunteering, and potential employment.
- ‘Independence’ represents the knowledge, understanding and skills we aim to instil in pupils, enabling them to leave school fully equipped for adulthood.
Vision:
Our Vision is to…
- provide a broad and balanced education for all pupils that is coherently planned and sequenced towards the development of knowledge and skills that support them to navigate adult life and access developmentally appropriate opportunities for living, further learning/education, volunteering, and potential employment,
- enable pupils to develop knowledge, understand concepts and acquire skills, and be able to choose and apply these in relevant situations,
- support pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development,
- support pupils’ physical development and responsibility for their own health, and enable them to be active,
- promote a positive attitude towards learning,
- ensure equal access to learning for all pupils, with high expectations for every pupil and appropriate levels of challenge and support,
- equip pupils with the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life,
- develop pupils’ independent learning skills and resilience, to equip them for further educational opportunity, volunteering and for some potential employment, and for some preparing them for lifelong care/supported living.
Intent:
At Stretton Shires School, our pupils follow an integrated therapeutic curriculum designed to help them develop the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to:
- communicate effectively, including developing functional communication, interaction and reading, so they can engage safely in the community and wider learning,
- understand and manage their emotions, including their physical and sensory needs, to support safe access to a range of settings and opportunities,
- develop their social, emotional and mental health, building independence and life skills that support safe and confident participation in the community,
- explore what it means to be human and how human behaviour shapes the world around them,
- understand the visual, cultural, social and environmental aspects of the world and their local community,
- learn about the natural world and develop respect and appreciation for all living species,
- discover significant people, places, events and inventions that have influenced the world they live in,
- prepare for adulthood beyond school by supporting each young person to explore meaningful future pathways. For some, this may include further education or routes into employment or supported employment that match their strengths, needs and aspirations,
- build independent living skills, gaining choice, control and freedom over their daily lives, support, accommodation and future living arrangements,
- participate fully in society by forming friendships, building supportive relationships and contributing to their local community,
- maintain good health and well-being, ensuring they access the services and support needed for a healthy adult life.