Riverside School

[EduCativ]

We strive for excellence in everything we do, because our pupils and families deserve nothing less. They make up the acronym ARCHITECT to signify our passion for designing and building a school that will make an indelible mark on the world for generations to come a school that will impact positively on everyone who enters, on people we may never meet, and in ways, we may never know. We see our pupils’ time at Riverside School as just the first part of their journey and we want them to leave us at the age of 19 as confident, lifelong learners. We also want them to remember their time with us with great affection, with memories of life-enriching experiences and enduring relationships.

Our core purpose, our mission, is to transform our children’s lives and the lives of their families and our vision is to inspire breakthroughs in the way society enables children with complex needs to find true fulfillment. Our mission and vision are underpinned by four pledges:

• We will equip our pupils with a bespoke package of profoundly personalized support so that when they leave school, they succeed, flourish, and leave their mark on society.
• We will inspire our pupils, families, and the wider community to make the seemingly unachievable achievable through the Performing Arts.
• We will ensure current and future pupils make remarkable progress by attracting and training the highest caliber special educators at Riverside School and beyond.
• We will influence the world of specialist education by creating an innovative curriculum framework based on The Pursuit of Happiness.

We were heavily involved in the Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities (C.L.D.D.) Research Project, led by Dr. Barry Carpenter and, as one of the initial 15 Trial Schools selected nationally, we were involved in researching:

• How a new definition of C.L.D.D. was relevant for a new generation of increasingly complex learners who are presenting in schools.
• How new styles of pedagogy are needed for these learners, with a specific focus on individualized engagement.

Our School Development Plan is a culmination of many months of debating where the school is now and where we wish to be in the future. We have adopted an invitational and consultative leadership style and this has enabled us to draw upon expertise and experience and create consensus and understanding. It is not about compliance but commitment: it is about hearts and minds, soul and spirit. It is a shared commitment to building a better future.

View full school