Ethos, Values and Mission Statement

At Mapledown, our ethos and vision are to provide a learning environment for all members of the school’s community, where everyone can work and learn together. We aim to ensure our wonderful and inspiring students are given the dignity of challenge, opportunities to be heard, become as independent as possible and achieve their very best. All young people have the right to have their individual needs met, and therefore Mapledown staff will be providing learners with a personalised curriculum which is focused on the successful acquisition of knowledge and skills which will have a positive impact on their lives and opportunities.

Mapledown is a place of learning for all members of the school's community. Students’ needs and aspirations sit at the heart of our curriculum, which enables our staff to create highly personalised learning programmes so that pupils can thrive, with “preparing for adulthood” as a starting place. Recognising that the skills needed in adulthood are difficult to master, including teaching and promoting independence, and recognising that our learners need to practice skills over long periods, we aim to provide our learners with a curriculum which is focused on successful acquisition of knowledge and skills which will have a positive impact on their lives and opportunities. We are committed to developing a genuine partnership, based on equality of opportunity, for continuous improvement so that excellence, service, innovation and progress become a reality for students, families, staff and the wider community.

Our mission is to create:

• A dynamic and inclusive student-focused organisation
• Skilled staff able to meet every student's needs
• Teams which offer mutual support and foster collective responsibility
• A place where staff reflect and learn continuously
• A school environment with resources to enable students’ learning
• A place where everyone enjoys and takes pride in their work
• A focus for support and service to families

Our aims:

• Develop our students' communication
• Maximise their personal autonomy & independence
• Enable students to form social relationships
• Encourage maximum mobility
• Prepare students for the opportunities, experiences and responsibilities of adult life
• Promote students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development
• Broaden students’ range of experiences

School will:

1. Encourage children to do their best at all times
2. Use professional advice from therapists to assist in the delivery of sessions
3. Inform parents of pupils’ achievements in EHCP Reviews, parents’ evenings, in their end of year postcards, during 'meet the teacher' sessions
4. Recognise each child as an individual
5. Share strategies that are successful at school