Breckenbrough School is a non-maintained residential Special School. The school is a limited company governed by a registered charitable trust school with a Quaker (Society of Friends) Foundation.
Breckenbrough School has a philosophy of peaceful and constructive resolution of conflict through respect, understanding, tolerance and forgiveness. Our aim is to nurture and sustain the intellectual, social and emotional development of the boys, towards a fulfilling and independent adulthood. We achieve this through an inclusive, effective and caring community, encompassing empathy, trust and respect for all its members.
There are eight specific objectives:
- To encourage the pupils to genuinely believe that they can become worthwhile and accepted members of society through academic and social success.
- To encourage each child to recognise his own individual differences and to work to address them through a relaxed and supportive environment, which emphasises care, control, safety, responsibility and above all progress.
- To help each child develop appropriate personal and social skills by encouraging and supporting them to take a greater responsibility for their own actions, thus developing their self-awareness and improving their interpersonal skills.
- To help each pupil appreciate the individual differences of others and to support others in overcoming their difficulties.
- To emphasise the importance of education and to use academic, vocational and social success to build up self esteem and confidence, both during their time at Breckenbrough and for when they move on to further education or the world of work.
- To plan for the successful transition for when pupils leave school and enter the world of work or further and higher education. This is supported by a separate Aftercare Charity.
- To encourage pupils to develop individual talents, abilities and interests through a broad and balanced curriculum, incorporating individual programmes of learning, in order to gain a wide life experience.
- To develop and sustain effective active partnerships between pupils, the school, family/guardians and outside agencies.
The ethos for the learners reflects the philosophy of the Quakers and is based on conflict resolution. The school day starts with an assembly which includes a period of silence for self reflection.
The atmosphere in the school is deliberately relaxed and calm, aimed at reducing conflict, yet remaining safe and purposeful. Each pupil has his own room to provide personal space and security. Day boys are encouraged to stay on after school and board when the occasion allows. The school does not have a fixed uniform policy, but is flexible which allows for individual needs and preferences.
The school traditionally has a low turnover of staff, allowing for the formation of purposeful and effective relationships with pupils, whilst at the same time providing a stable and nurturing environment.
The curriculum reflects the ethos of the school in both content and delivery. Learners understand and appreciate this and strive to achieve and progress, which for the most part they do. A holistic approach is adopted to allow learners to address their problems and progress through flexible planning and a pupil centred approach, accompanied by highly individualised programmes of learning.
The teaching and residential environments are well supported by the work of a part-time counsellor and a full time psychologist who uses a range of approaches including cognitive behaviour therapy.
The school places very high importance on all aspects of child protection and safeguarding. The Head of Care is the designated Child Protection Officer and is supported by a Governor with a child protection brief.
The school has an active After Care provision that provides support for pupils once they have left the school. The majority of the pupils go on to Further Education with little or minimum additional support.
G Brookes
Headmaster
September 2011
Reviewed September 2011
Next review September 2012
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