Building Courage, Compassion and Commitment

Fortitude School is a specialist independent primary school for children aged 5–11 with a range of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), including SEMH, Autism, ADHD, communication and interaction needs, attachment difficulties, trauma-related needs and learning differences.

We understand that many of our pupils arrive having experienced significant challenges in education. Some have been out of school for long periods, experienced placement breakdowns, developed school-based anxiety, or lost confidence in themselves as learners.

At Fortitude, we do things differently. Our school has been carefully designed to provide a safe, nurturing and highly personalised learning environment where children can rebuild trust, develop confidence and rediscover a love of learning. We believe that every child deserves to feel successful, valued and understood.

Our Vision

Our vision is to empower every child to thrive through our core values of:

Courage

Meeting challenges with resilience, determination and bravery.

Compassion

Showing kindness to ourselves and others and celebrating individuality.

Commitment

Persevering through difficulties and never giving up.

These values are woven throughout every aspect of school life and celebrated weekly through our whole-school rewards and recognition systems.

A Curriculum Built Around the Child

At Fortitude, the curriculum adapts to the child – not the other way around. We recognise that every learner is unique, with different strengths, interests, experiences and starting points. Our curriculum is therefore highly personalised, flexible and responsive to individual needs.

Many of our pupils arrive working well below age-related expectations due to missed education, unmet needs or previous negative experiences of school. Our role is not only to help children catch up academically, but to help them develop the confidence, resilience and emotional wellbeing needed to become successful learners.

On entry, every child receives a comprehensive baseline assessment including:

• Reading
• Phonics
• Writing
• Mathematics
• Communication
• Social and emotional development
• Emotional regulation
• Independence skills
• EHCP outcomes

This enables us to create a personalised learning pathway that supports each child’s individual journey.

Learning That Inspires

We believe learning should be meaningful, engaging and enjoyable.

Our curriculum combines:

Academic Learning

• Reading
• Phonics
• Writing
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Science
• Humanities
• Art and Design
• Physical Education
• Computing

Personal Development

• Emotional literacy
• Confidence building
• Independence
• Communication skills
• Relationships
• Life skills

Practical Learning

• Cooking
• Gardening
• Construction projects
• Arts and Crafts
• Outdoor learning
• sports and dance
• Community experiences

Therapeutic Learning

• Lego Therapy
• Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
• Emotional regulation support
• Zones of Regulation
• Therapeutic conversations
• Farm-based learning
• Forest School

Our aim is for every child to experience success and develop the skills needed to thrive both in school and beyond.

Our Therapeutic Approach

At Fortitude, we understand that behaviour is communication. Many of our children have experienced trauma, adversity, exclusion or school-related anxiety. These experiences can affect a child’s ability to learn, regulate emotions and build relationships. Our staff use a trauma-informed, relational approach to support children.

This means:

• Building trusting relationships.
• Creating predictable routines.
• Supporting emotional regulation.
• Reducing anxiety.
• Understanding the reasons behind behaviour.
• Helping children feel safe and secure.

We always ask: “What has happened to this child and what do they need from us?”

Our Farm Provision

One of the unique features of Fortitude School is our therapeutic farm provision.

The farm provides children with opportunities to:

• Build confidence.
• Develop responsibility.
• Learn practical life skills.
• Improve emotional regulation.
• Develop resilience.
• Work as part of a team.
• Experience success outside the classroom.
• Access forest school projects

Many pupils who struggle within traditional educational environments flourish within the farm setting. Through caring for animals, gardening, construction and forest school projects and outdoor learning, children develop the skills and confidence needed to transfer success back into the classroom and wider community.

Social & Emotional Learning

Children’s wellbeing sits at the heart of everything we do.

Our Social & Emotional Learning Programme supports pupils to develop:

• Self-awareness
• Emotional literacy
• Confidence
• Resilience
• Friendships
• Emotional regulation
• Problem-solving skills
• Independence

Daily emotional check-ins, Lego Therapy, personalised support and strong relationships help children develop the skills needed to manage life’s challenges.

Working in Partnership with Families

We know that parents and carers know their children best. That’s why we place great importance on building strong, trusting relationships with families. We pride ourselves on our open-door approach and work collaboratively with parents, carers and professionals to ensure every child receives the support they need.

Families are welcomed as partners in their child’s education and are supported without judgement. Together, we celebrate successes, overcome challenges and help children achieve their potential.

Preparing Children for the Future

Everything we do at Fortitude is designed to help children build the confidence, resilience and skills they need for life. Success at Fortitude is not measured solely through academic outcomes.

Success may be:

• A child attending school after months or years of absence.
• A child making a friend for the first time.
• A child learning to regulate their emotions.
• A child developing confidence to try something new.
• A child discovering they can achieve.

Our goal is simple:

To help every child build the fortitude they need for a safe, happy and successful future.