Vision

Resilient independent life long learners

Mission 

Providing an attachment friendly community which fosters warmth with high boundaries so that all can achieve to their full potential.

Core Values

• Belonging
• Discovery and Delight
• Empowering
• Belief and Perseverance

Belonging

Summary

This represents how all those across the school community valued a sense of belonging to something special – HOPE was described as ‘a family’, ‘a community’, a place of “friendship” and shared identity.

To strengthen this sense of belonging, the school community valued the importance of supporting children to feel more secure in their relationships.  It was recognised how children and families may have experienced a sense of exclusion, stigma and disconnection a result of their experiences within the education system. Staff talked about how part of ‘belonging’ was about  supporting children to feel “loved”, “appreciated” and “valued”.

An important part of belonging was understanding and valuing one another: being able to ‘connect with the journey of others; hold empathy; bring care, curiosity and compassion into work; have humanity- appreciating that “we are all human”; and see the importance of being accepted for who we are. Themes of having respect toward oneself and for each other (through being kind, polite) were also identified as important.

Some examples …..

• Children identified about the importance of school offering them a sense of togetherness which came thorough opportunities for friendship, playing with one another/ joining together to eat and have fun.  . They named the importance of kindness, including others, sharing with and caring for one another, and celebrating each other (e.g. birthdays, achievements).  Children also valued feelings of safety and calmness offered within school and the relationships within it and how they valued being with people “that know me well”.  
• Families talked about how much they (and their children) valued feeling understood and accepted within the HOPE community  (“you get my child”). They felt it was recognised that previous school experiences may have been difficult and that they may feel distrustful (which could take time to shift). Language of “acceptance” came through in discussion. They also reflected on the school’s non-judgemental approach towards them, and valued the sense of openness (rather than defensiveness) displayed by staff – all of which helped strengthen their relationship with school.
• Leaders, staff and governors talked about the sense of family, togetherness, belonging and shared identity that represented being part of the HOPE school community.  Leaders and govenors talked about their role in shaping this identity and modelling a sense of belonging. They reflected on the central importance of relational practice, understanding “where families are at” – strengthening feelings of safety, trust and emotional security for children and families. Staff talked about “everyone getting involved”, taking an inclusive approach. They also reflected on the importance of feeling valued themselves in their work and understanding the contribution they can make to the lives of children and families in school.

Discovery and Delight

Summary

This theme represents how school was valued as a place of ‘discovery’ – children “discovering themselves’ and what they are capable of - (understanding themselves more, and discovering their qualities, strengths and interests). 

An important part of this was there being opportunities for positive, novel experiences, and the sense of fun and enjoyment that children and staff feel within school (for example, opportunities for creativeness, physical activity and fun!). 

Part of enabling children to discover and learn, was a sense that they feel “happier and better” in themselves. (Perhaps feeling more settled and secure enables them to explore, take risks and get involved in new experiences).

This theme also represents the value of bringing a playful approach in building relationships with children and supporting them.

Some examples

• Children highlighted how much they enjoyed playing together, having fun, and activities such as drawing, doing art, exercise, going on the climbing wall et. They identified feeling “happier” and “better”, “feeling good” about themselves. Connected to this, they talked about feeling “proud”.

• Families talked about how much they valued their children having access to the same opportunities as their peers in mainstream school (trips, residentials and activities).

• Staff and leaders reflected on the broad range of opportunities (involving feelings of freedom, excitement, creativity, fun, inspiration and enjoyment) offered to children and how this supported a holistic approach to their development which extended beyond their educational attainment (for example - learning life skills, play skills, emotional skills). They appreciated how these opportunities enabled children to explore their qualities and strengths, develop their sense of identity – all of which could help towards shifting more negative views they may hold of themselves. They valued children having the conditions to feel safe to explore and take risks. Staf also talked about the importance of bringing playfulness into their work as a means to deescalate situations and build relationships

• Leaders also talked about the importance of those around a child knowing their story, understanding their journey, and children “knowing themeselves” well.

Empowering

Summary

This value represents the importance of school strengthening a sense of power across all levels of the school community. For children this was about increasing their understanding of themselves and others (including their emotions, their strengths and needs), re-engaging them with their education, developing the skills they need to regulate themselves well and build positive relationships, and supporting them to make positive choices and decisions.

This was encouraged through the school bringing a specialist level of understanding around the application of psychologically-responsive care in education, children and families feeling their needs were well understood and addressed, families feeling their voices were valued and that they were collaborated with in the care of their children), staff feeling equipped with the knowledge and support they needed, and leaders being able to strengthen and influence good practice both within school and wider across the local authority.

Some examples….

• Children described that school helped them with “big feelings”, feeling “able to breathe”, “helping me” (and some of the ways that school help with this - so interventions like checking in and out each day, providing “space when I’m upset and angry”, and having some independence. They identified the importance of “good listening” and paying attention. They also talked about times when they are proud

• Staff talked about their focus on supporting children to develop the regulation and relational skills they needed to succeed. Crucially, seeing themselves as the agents of change (“its about the adults”) - providing children with emotional security, and supporting reflection and repair through restorative practice when things go wrong. They identified that this approach helped strengthen children’s self-esteem and skills which in turn strengthened their resilience – for example, by helping children to express themselves and their needs, build relationships, take accountability for themselves and their actions, and importantly by helping them to settle to learn.   Staff also shared how improvements in children’s attendance once at HOPE empowered them further through re-engaging them with educational opportunities that they may otherwise have struggled to access.

• Staff and leaders also talked about empowering each other through “strong teamwork”, striving for “continuous improvement”, “holding high expectations” (of one another and of children), and recognising that “everyone has a role to play” in the system. Leaders reflected on how the school system was empowering through their focus on “specialist trauma and attachment responsive care” (so, there being an awareness of the impact of trauma, how this affects organisations and the people within it, understanding behaviour as a communication, feeling safe to make mistakes, encouraging “accountability” for actions). Staff and leaders talked about empowering families through “family learning and programmes” and through “good communication” and “collaboration” with families in their work.

• Leaders and Governors talked about their role in empowering others through having “high expectations”. Holding each other to account, motivating others, modelling a relational approach, asking themselves “how do we keep our adults connected to children and their work  in a stressful role”), supporting the system to be reflective .  Both leaders and Governors reflected on how this can be “challenging work” for staff and how important it is to empower them in their work through good training, development, supervision and support. Leaders talked about their role in inspiring others both within school and as part of the wider HEARTS project with other schools and agencies.

• Governors reflected on the role of school in empowering children and families through holding high expectations of their potential, “seeing the ability” and “bringing out the best” in them. They talked about the importance of families feeling part of discussions and decisions as part of their child’s journey at HOPE (particular given that they may have felt disempowered in previous experiences or professional relationships).

• Families talked about experiencing a “sense of relief”, and generally feeing more settled and confident in the school to contain their child’s needs (e.g. not anticipating daily phone calls as they had previously). They valued the specialist understanding and approach offered by HOPE, particularly their relational focus (empathy, trust, playfulness) alongside the specialist understanding of SEN. They valued the sense of “routine” offered by school and the “proactive approach” to “getting the right people involved”.  They valued the good communication, being able to come into school and speak openly, and feeling that their voices were valued ( e.g. being “seen as experts on (their) child”.

Belief and Perseverance

Summary

This theme represents the role of all those within the school community holding on to a belief in positive change and persevering even when times are hard. This involved holding high expectations of children’s potential, “seeing their ability”,  “bringing out the best” in children (especially where there might be a predominant focus on what they can’t do rather than what they can), “keeping an open mind”, and crucially “never giving up”.

Examples

Children talked about the importance of “never giving up” and “having a go”.

Staff talked about the importance of persevering and “not giving up” on children.  They reflected on the importance of keeping connected with children day to day (especially when they are struggling).  They shared how they persevered in their approach by drawing on the support of the team, “thinking outside the box”, “trying new ideas”, and using interventions like “solution circles” to guide their approach.

Governors also talked about “never giving up”, recognising that the approach in school is “not a quick fix”. They reflected on how often children and families have felt let down by systems around them, which reinforced their commitment to children that they will offer them a secure and inclusive environment to develop. They also reflected on the importance of “being brave” and keeping faith in the school’s relational approach, recognising that this may come under challenge from influences external to school.

Families talked about the importance of appreciating their child being seen in a positive light (not as “naughty” or a “nuisance”). They also described how they valued a “hopeful” perspective, and how “nothing is impossible” Finally, they named the importance of perseverance, describing HOPE as “always finding a way”.

Leaders talked about having “no glass ceiling”, having ambitions for all their children. They also talked about the importance of being a “non-exclusionary school” and treating  school as a “new beginning”.

April 2024

Motto

 "If I Try I Can"

 Article 1; Everyone under the age of 18 has all the rights in the convention.

Article 29; Education must develop every child’s personality, talents and abilities to the full. It must encourage the child’s respect for human rights, as well as respect for their parents, their own and other cultures, and the environment.