Willow View School

• Location: Rochdale, Greater Manchester
• Gender: Male & Female
• Age Range: 6 – 18
• Capacity: 30
• Ofsted Rating: Good

Willow View School is a small independent SEMH school for pupils aged 6-18 located in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. The school is registered to offer education to 30 pupils with a range of needs including ADHD, autism, developmental trauma, anxiety, sensory processing difficulties, dyslexia, and attachment difficulties, amongst other varying needs. Willow View School caters to individual needs within very small class groups of pupils, promoting social engagement.

Mission Statement

At Willow View School we look to develop well-rounded, confident and responsible individuals who aspire to achieve their full potential. We will do this by providing a welcoming, happy, safe, and supportive learning environment in which everyone is equal, and all achievements are celebrated.

We believe that a happy child is a successful one. We are committed to providing a positive, safe and stimulating environment for children to learn, where all are valued. We intend that all children should enjoy their learning, achieve their potential and become independent lifelong learners.

Our Vision is to create and deliver a safe and high-quality educational experience for every student, by:

• Valuing every student as an individual, ensuring they realise their potential by providing an aspirational, engaging and bespoke curriculum.
• Ensuring no matter what the starting point, they can achieve
• Delivering the highest standards of teaching and learning to ensure excellent progress and achievement that inspires all our students.
• Providing a learning environment which is both stimulating and supportive, fostering excellence and independence.

1ACE North Outreach Provision

Willow View School also have an outreach alternative provision called 1ACE North. Our unique `school without walls’ offers child-centred, bespoke education packages to children and young people. 1ACE North is attached to the school and is designed for pupils who are not yet ready to access education in a classroom setting. These pupils are taught in community settings such as youth and community centres and have 1:1 or 2:1 staffing. They also work on life skills, emotional regulation and have a curriculum that is personalised and bespoke to the individual pupil.

The School Day

The school day starts at 9.30am and finishes at 3pm.

Our trauma-informed curriculum is tailored according to each pupil’s needs and interests, consisting of academic subjects, physical activity, social skills, and activities promoting wellbeing and independence. Each child has a personalised timetable which is adapted to suit their needs and includes SEMH and enrichment activities.

Our approach to learning involves connecting the seven curriculum areas of Literacy, Numeracy, Science and Technology, The World Around Us, Creativity, and Skills for Life, alongside Physical Education and Wellbeing. Within these curriculum areas, pupils can focus on their own personal development through enrichment and SEMH needs.

Furthermore, our site boasts multiple extra-curricular activities such as outdoor activities, a school gym, a kitchen for cooking and life skills, a sensory room, a therapy room and several nurturing classrooms. We also make use of the local area and provide a robust offsite curriculum too.

Trauma-Informed

Willow View School staff are trained to work therapeutically, using trauma-informed strategies with pupils, to recognise potential triggers for the individual children they work with. We have an art therapist who attends our site weekly, providing direct therapy to pupils who require it. In addition, our therapist offers consultations and reflective practice to our staff team and facilitates some of our team training.