About Us

Our unique nurturing school has been specifically developed for pupils aged 5 -11 years of age, who do not fit into the conformist mainstream approach to education. Our specialist team has designed and developed a comprehensive and inclusive primary curriculum, where the overarching aim and commitment is for every child to be re-engaged and excited by learning, to become an effective learner and to begin to understand how they learn best.

We believe in the concept of lifelong learning and the notion that learning should be a rewarding and enjoyable experience for everyone; learning should be fun!

Through our teaching we equip children with the skills and  knowledge necessary to be able to make informed choices about the important things in their lives. We believe that appropriate learning and teaching experiences help young people to lead happy and rewarding lives.

Our unique curriculums have been designed to meet the needs of young people with a range of SEND, diagnosed and in some cases undiagnosed such as; ASD, ADHD, SEMH, Toxic Childhood Stress / Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), Attachment difficulties, and Specific Learning Difficulties such as Dyslexia and Dyspraxia.

Fortitude School is fully committed to providing young people with a bespoke, ks1 and ks2 curriculum, which is tailored to meet the levels of ability, interests and aspirations of everyone. Our curriculum is fluid and ever evolving as it works to meet the individual learning needs of our students. Never the other way around.

In addition to their learning needs, and as a consequence of these difficulties, many of our young people may have missed large aspects of their education prior to attending Fortitude School and so will begin their educational journey at Fortitude School, below age expected or average levels of achievement. Our dedicated staff will work with our young people to identify and close any significant gaps resulting from missed education. On entry to the school all children are baselined in:

• Phonics

• Reading

• Maths

• Social and emotional learning skills

Once a baseline is ascertained a curriculum is put in place for each pupil. Our curriculum is about putting the child first and doing the right thing for each and every one of our young people. 

Also many of our children have experienced school associated trauma, so supporting our children who have experienced school-related trauma requires a thoughtful, gentle, and consistent approach. Trauma can deeply affect how children learn, behave, and relate to others, so the goal is to create a safe, nurturing environment where they feel heard, valued, and secure.

Trauma can result from bullying, academic pressure, exclusion, teacher conflict, or witnessing distressing events at school.

Children might show signs through:

• Anxiety, avoidance, or refusal to attend school
  
  
• Behavioral issues or sudden mood changes
• Extremely reactive to both positive or negative stimuli (without understanding why this is happening)
  
  
• Trouble concentrating which impacts on their ability to learn
  
  
• Physical complaints (headaches, stomachaches, wanting to go home )

For us, consistency is key: keeping  routines predictable and transitions smooth. Using  calming spaces both in and outside of the classroom, and frequent planned break breaks  where children have the opportunity to regroup,  to avoid them becoming overwhelmed by the learning is vital.

We always foster emotional safety: Avoiding yelling, public shaming, or unpredictable discipline.

At Fortitude School we believe that every young person should:

• Have a positive experience of learning across all aspects of the curriculum (academic, vocational, social and emotional)

• Understand that barriers to learning can be overcome with fortitude and resilience 

• Enjoy their learning and see mistakes as opportunities to learn and grow

• Recognise and celebrate progression and development

• Achieve their full potential socially emotionally and academically

• Have sufficient key skills and self-esteem to approach new situations confidently and with resilience

Our Curriculum

The Fortitude curriculum encompasses; 

1. Personalised Learning

• A tailored curriculum to match individual needs, interests, and abilities.
  
  
• Focus on closing gaps in literacy and numeracy while building confidence.
  
  
• Creative, therapeutic, and outdoor learning approaches to engage pupils.

What are we doing and how do we evidence this?

2. Therapeutic Support

• Continuous support from our pastoral team throughout the school day
• Staff that work in close collaboration with parents and carers
• On-site access to professional counsellors, educational psychologists  and therapists
• emotionally supportive environments
• Adapted environment which is communication friendly with ongoing support from external speech and language professionals
• Emphasis on developing emotional regulation and resilience.
  
  

3. Small Group Sizes

• High adult-to-child ratios.
  
  
• Allows for stronger relationships and more focused attention.
  
  

4. Clear Routines and High Expectations

• Safe, structured environment with consistent boundaries.
  
  
• Positive behaviour reinforcement rather than punitive approaches.
  
  

5. Strong Partnerships with Parents 

• Frequent communication and shared goals with families.
  
  
• Open door approach where families do not feel judged and can talk openly and feel supported
  
  

6. Well Being-Centered Environment

• Daily emotions check-ins and emphasis on self-esteem and confidence-building
  
  
• Nurture-based models often used

Fortitude School Ethos and Culture

At Fortitude School, we believe that a positive school ethos and culture is fundamental to developing good relationships and positive behaviour and attitudes in the classroom, playground and wider school community.

At Fortitude School, our children’s wellbeing is at the heart of everything that we do as a staff team. We always focus on the wellbeing of every child and are committed to developing and embedding a culture where all of our young people feel safe, nurtured, respected, responsible and included.

We are committed to developing and embedding a culture where all of our young people feel included and accepted and where their achievements and contributions are valued and celebrated. This is essential to the development of secure positive relationships. In order to create this environment for effective learning and teaching there should be a shared understanding of wellbeing underpinned by children’s rights and a focus on positive relationships across our whole school community.

At Fortitude School it is the responsibility of all school stakeholders to promote the health and wellbeing of all pupils by:

• establishing open, positive, supportive relationships across the whole school community

• an environment where all of our young people feel that they’re listened to, and where they feel secure in their ability to share sensitive aspects of their lives

• Where all of our staff model and actively encourage behaviour which promotes healthy relationships and positive wellbeing

• Use a range of learning and teaching methodologies which removes barriers to learning and promote effective learning

• being sensitive and responsive to the wellbeing of each child

Our Vision

At Fortitude School, our vision is to empower every child to thrive through promoting and embedding our 3C;s of courage, compassion and commitment. 

Our  Mission Statement

Our mission is to provide a safe, nurturing, and emotionally intelligent learning environment where every child feels valued, understood, and supported. We are committed to delivering a personalised education that prioritises emotional wellbeing, encourages self-expression, and builds the skills children need to succeed in school and in life. Through strong relationships, creative approaches, and a trauma-informed ethos, we help each child find their voice, regulate their emotions, and discover their unique potential.

Our vision is to build young people’s fortitude by providing an education that will work to prepare them for a safe, happy and successful future.

We believe that fortitude holds huge significance to all of us as it supports and guides us as we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of education with determination and a commitment to the betterment of all of our young people. We work with our young people to build fortitude by;

• cultivating a growth mindset
• developing emotional regulation skills
• setting personalised goals and
• building positive, strong brain boosting habits to foster strength and resilience.

Our 3C Values

At Fortitude we work as a whole school community to nurture the following core values; 

Courage

To meet new challenges with, fortitude, bravery and resilience.

Compassion

To be kind to ourselves and others and celebrate what makes us unique.

Commitment

We keep going no matter what- we never stop trying!

We believe that with fortitude and commitment we can transform the way young children approach their daily lives and how this will in turn impact positively on the quality of their learning both inside and outside of the school gates.