Olsen House School

Learning at Olsen House is ambitious, structured and personalised and explicitly driven by our vision for every child to Dream, Believe, Achieve. From morning check-ins to end-of-day reflections, our values Be Kind, Be Ambitious, Be Inspired frame expectations and the language adults and students use.

KS2 learners follow a carefully designed primary-style model taught by specialists; KS3–KS4 subjects are delivered by subject experts with clear routes to accreditation. We offer English Language, Mathematics, Science, Physical Education (PE), Computer Science, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Media Studies, Art & Design, Food Technology, Personal Development, Outdoor Education, Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education, Humanities, Citizenship and Music. Each subject has a mapped journey from KS2 to KS4, so knowledge and skills build step by step.

Teaching quality is strengthened by school-wide CPD cycles and our coaching model (StepLab). Coaching sharpens explanations, questioning, modelling and feedback, ensuring calm, purposeful classrooms. In parallel, the oracy strand (Voice 21) develops structured talk and vocabulary in every subject, so students think and communicate with confidence.

We set Level 1 (grades 1–3) and Level 2 (grades 4–9) pathways with no ceiling on ambition, intervening early where gaps appear. Our self-evaluation form (SEF) evidence increased entries and improved pass rates across core and vocational subjects, showing that high expectations, precise teaching and timely intervention secure progress.

For learners who benefit from a highly structured environment, the Bluebird Centre provides a nurture pathway in small groups organised by developmental stage and need; students access the main site for specialist lessons, enrichment and rewards, keeping inclusion real. Recognition systems' merits and Postcard Fridays align to our values, reinforcing the habits that make learning possible.

Learning also stretches beyond four walls. We plan Outdoor Education and cultural capital experiences, residential trips, DofE, NICAS and museum/theatre visits to connect curriculum with the wider world and grow resilience, curiosity and pride.

Therapy at Olsen House is integrated and values-led, not an add-on. Our Vision & Values inform relationships, the way we scaffold regulation and how we celebrate growth: kindness in interactions, ambition in goals, inspiration through meaningful success.

Our therapeutic curriculum aligns SaLT and OT with everyday teaching so strategies transfer into lessons, routines and relationships. Therapists audit provision, train staff, screen students and co-design plans so communication, sensory regulation and independence improve where learning happens. Staff are trained in Thrive and Emotion Coaching, creating predictable, low-arousal classrooms with high empathy and clear guidance.

This whole-school approach is embedded through CPD cycles, coaching and quality assurance (QA). Current priorities in our School Development Plan (SDP) include evaluating therapeutic impact in classrooms, aligning goals across education and therapy, and expanding staff capability so therapeutic conversations become routine. These actions sit alongside recognition, Postcard Fridays, merits and “Good News” calls that make progress visible and motivating.

Impact is evident in engagement, attendance and outcomes recorded in our SEF: as regulation improves, participation and qualifications rise. Our non-confrontational, relational approach, rooted in shared language and consistent routines, has reduced high-level incidents over time.

Personal Development and preparation for next steps are explicitly tied to our Vision & Values. We teach oracy and social-emotional literacy so students speak with confidence, listen well and act with kindness and ambition. Recognition merits, Postcard Fridays, “Good News” calls keeps values visible and motivating.

Our planned cultural capital and Outdoor Education pathway widens horizons and provides accredited challenge: DofE, NICAS, water sports and residentials in the Lake District. Experiences are sequenced across the year and linked to curriculum goals, so students practise teamwork, leadership, problem-solving and self-management in authentic settings.

Vocational preparation is intentional and progressive. From KS3 we map Level 1 and Level 2 routes (e.g., BTEC Introductory and Level 1 in Sport, Art & Design, ICT, Applied Science; Food awards; PSHE accreditation). Year 9 begins a structured Level 1 pathway, so students build early success and step confidently into KS4. Our SEF/SDP commit to extending Level 2 offers ensuring there is no ceiling on ambition.

Careers education starts early and is personalised: guidance interviews, small-group sessions, workplace encounters, and college links help students understand pathways and plan next steps. Rising qualification numbers and improving pass rates provide the platform for successful transitions at 16.

Crucially, embedding Vision & Values remains a live improvement priority: we are aligning the merits framework to our values, linking middle-leader workstreams to enrichment and cultural capital, and driving CPD strands into everyday practice. That coherence means students encounter the same message Be Kind, Be Ambitious, Be Inspired in lessons, on visits and in celebrations, building the knowledge, character and accreditation to Dream, Believe and Achieve beyond Olsen House.