Oaktree is a maintained day special school for students with a wide range of complex needs. It is co-educational and caters to up to 95 children and young adults aged from 7 - 19.
The school was opened on June 15th, 1965, and occupies a delightful site on Enfield's western boundary, close to open countryside. The building itself, which won a design award, is all on one level and comprises ten classrooms, a therapy room, Food Technology, Art Room, a kitchen, and a hall that doubles as a gym. The school has 2 minibusses which are used regularly for educational visits and school journeys. There was a new wing opened in 2008 which houses the Sixth Form and an additional kitchen. In 2016 we opened a state-of-the-art Sensory Room.
Students follow a streamed curriculum throughout the school: on the entry, they are designated to a group according to their specific needs, within their key stage. These groupings take account of their abilities and social and emotional needs. Younger students follow a primary model with most lessons being taught by the class teacher and support staff. These groups spend a greater amount of time with their form tutors on basic subjects. Older students follow more of a second model with many lessons taught by specialist teachers.
In the Sixth Form, our curriculum is tailored towards Independence and externally validated modules recognized by colleges and employers (AQA, Entry Level qualifications, ASDAN). We are currently developing additional post-sixteen courses and experiences for our Sixth Formers. Classes rarely contain more than twelve pupils and have the support of either one or two Learning Support Assistants depending on their needs.
We are increasingly outward-bound in our curriculum, due to the complexity of our student’s needs. When they leave Oaktree our students will live and work in the community, so they learn to shop, visit libraries and sports centers, visit shows, zoos, and theatres, and access outside activity centers. We intend to enrich their lives through an education that emphasizes life skills and experiences which enhance life.
we are a Special School for students with complex needs, our mission is the same as any other educational setting - to support and nurture the development of the whole child. This includes their academic progress, the maturing of their social and emotional skills, growing their self-esteem and self-confidence, and learning key life skills in order they can be as independent as possible when they leave us at 19.
At Oaktree, we realize that we have an essential role to play in shaping the lives of young people in our care. We aim for our students to leave happy and confident, with the talents and potential to go on to lead fulfilling and independent lives.
We aspire to offer the highest quality education delivered by our team of dedicated staff using quality resources, supported by a wide range of specialists.
We aspire to provide an environment that is welcoming, happy, and caring that allows our students to feel safe and well looked after, encouraged in healthy living, and given opportunities for personal development and academic progress.
Oaktree School will ensure that it actively promotes the fundamental British values of democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs.
The values are officially taught through the Religious Education (RE) and Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) curriculum and are further nurtured through the school’s ethos and promotion of spiritual, moral, social, and cultural (SMSC) understanding.
