WHSS Prospectus March 2025 - Flipbook - Page 9
Education
The school day begins at 11am on Mondays and 8.45am from Tuesday to Friday. There is a 45minute session with a focus on improving students quality of life and establishing a positive mindset
to lead into the educational day.
There is an important focus on literacy and numeracy every morning. Phonics and numeracy
interventions take place regularly, in addition to their usual Maths and English lessons throughout the
week. Lunch is taken between 12:30 and 1pm where there is a clear focus on healthy meal choices.
We broadly follow the National Curriculum
where students receive most of the tuition from
their Learning Group Teacher with some subject
specialist input.
In addition to the National Curriculum subjects,
students have access to a diverse range of
accredited learning opportunities, which include
outdoor learning, topic based learning, thematic
learning, music lessons, construction, basic
sewing skills and food and hygiene.
The WHSS Bacc is our bespoke school
performance indicator that measures students’
success and attainment at the point of leaving
based on a range of achievements, experiences,
life-based skills, awards and qualifications. All of
our students are entered for the WHSS Bacc on a
pathway suited to their skills, needs and talents. It
is our aim that every student will achieve the Bacc
by the time they leave us. Our bespoke Bacc
recognises that a broad and balanced curriculum
is vitally important to help all students fulfil their
potential, whatever their educational needs and
learning goals.
From Year 9, students often take Entry Level
qualifications, Functional Skills and OCR Life
& Living Skills courses.
Some students will take GCSEs at the end of
Year 11 which can lead to a College placement
or appropriate further education at the right
level. We consider Outdoor Education to be an
important part of all students’ school lives and
offer a range of experiences, culminating in a
one week residential camp for all students in
the summer term.
Underpinning the importance of outdoor
learning students will have the opportunity to
gain a DofE Award from year 9.
8The school is a calm, tranquil place. The
environment is designed to ensure pupils
can learn in surroundings suited to their
needs.9
Ofsted, Nov 2023
