Our Vision:
Our aim is to provide the best possible care and education that we can for children and young people with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs. Unconditional Positive Regard is at the centre of what we do and we are creating an academy that is welcoming, caring, safe, warm and believes that all its pupils can be supported and empowered to succeed.
We are creating individual and personalised pathways for our students that are built around their varied needs which will help them achieve positive outcomes and prepare them for their onward destinations into continuing education, work or training. In order to achieve this we are developing a curriculum that provides opportunities for academic progression as well as vocational learning, whilst being engaging, creative, and innovative.
We see strong relationships with students, parents, carers and the wider community as the key to our success –and we ensure that our academies are welcoming safe places for children to learn and prosper. We believe in working closely with our families and carers and welcome their support, but also realise that at times they will need our support too. We work closely with Leeds City Council and other agencies and schools to make sure we do all we can to make learning and life the best it possibly can be.
We will eventually be an Academy for 340 5-16 year olds on four sites across the city. Our Primary site at Oakwood, has been significantly refurbished and upgraded to provide a high quality specialist setting. Our KS3 and KS4 students are currently accommodated in 5 temporary sites around Leeds.
Between January 2018 and September 2018, our KS3 and KS4 provision will be moving to three, brand new, purpose built settings across the city. These will be at Seacroft (January 2018), Middleton (Easter 2018) and Tinshill (September 2018). Wellspring has worked for the past 2 years with Leeds City Council to ensure that these new designs meet the requirements of our children and that they are world class facilities.
Our school is a place where:
- Our core values are honesty, tolerance and respect leading to self discipline and increased self esteem.
- Each individual is valued and respected and suitable learning opportunities are created for all.
- Future citizens are nurtured and prepared for the future in both the world of work and society.
- Everyone is safe, physically and emotionally.
- We are all encouraged to make a positive contribution.
We cater for those with social emotional and behavioural difficulties, allowing them a fresh start in education. Our strong belief is that solutions lie in the understanding of every individual’s case and a provision which can take account of their difficulties or barriers to learning. We aim to offer all pupils an equal opportunity to become confident learners in a supportive environment.
Our vision is to enable pupils to improve their self-esteem, take responsibility for their behaviour and to be proud of their achievements. Almost all students attend the academy full time, which encourages a sense of belonging and community. Our clear and consistent structure ensures that pupils feel safe and secure and it enables them to take ownership of their learning.
Governors and Leaders at the school know that our focus on academic attainment is our strongest feature. Experience has proved that students need to feel purposeful about their education and this is the strongest attraction that we offer them. The increase in confidence and self-esteem that drives improvements in behaviour is almost always linked to academic success. It is often difficult to change pupils’ self-perception in a short space of time, but we can show them their own skills, and build their self-worth through academic attainment that has a clear value in their eyes and in the eyes of society. We will maintain this focus as we go forward into our new partnership with the Wellspring Academy Trust.
What We Offer.
We can offer all of our students: –
- Small class sizes with about 1 adult to every 3 to 4 students, so that no learner is left without help.
- Experienced, qualified teachers who can make sure that our students make rapid progress in their learning, through delivering lessons that excite and motivate them.
- A curriculum that matches mainstream expectations at KS2, KS3 and KS4 and has been successful in preparing all of our leavers for college after year 11.
- Specific support based on the needs of each student to help them get back on track with their education.
- A staff well trained in meeting the emotional needs of students, skilled in behaviour modification and selected for their ability to find the best in each child.
- A fresh start.