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Our Mission  

To engage those who are disengaged, isolated, hard to reach, disadvantaged and who have Special  Educational Needs in learning interventions that will develop confidence, self-esteem, resilience  and skills and experiences needed to embrace life-long learning, utilising our outdoor learning  environment to provide real life experiences.  

Our Vision  

To engage, motivate and inspire our students to become independent learners and responsible  community members of society.  

Achieving the Mission 

Graduately Developing Future (GDF)'s curriculum reflects the particular needs of those with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Education Health Care Plans (EHCP). GDF caters for and engages with students from right across the spectrum and works in partnership with local authorities across Dorset to ensure it meets identified gaps in local provision. GDF’s outdoor learning environment  provide the opportunity for utilising real life experiences and taking a kinaesthetic approach. 

We consider provision of a complete educational context, from ages 6 to 11, which allows the most  effective route through which students can be motivated and inspired to fulfil their individual educational and social potential.  Children and young people with SEN can have their learning needs characterised by the triad of impairments listed below:

 · Difficulties in communication – both receptive and expressive 

 · Difficulties in forming effective social relationships  

 · Impairment of imagination and flexibility of thought   

Students attending GDF may also experience extreme anxiety and have low self-esteem. Coping  with daily life can be extremely arduous, GDF is dedicated to mitigating such difficulties thereby  increasing the students learning receptivity, attainment and life skill base.  

Key Features  

Our vision is to ensure that all our students are able to engage to realise their own potential, be  motivated and provide the opportunity to raise self-esteem and inspire aspirations for our students and their parents/carers. Our vision will be achieved when students leave us as: 

· Engaged and successful learners with good qualifications and motivated to enhance their knowledge and skills to reach their full potential. We will provide a bespoke curriculum,  resources, environment, strategies and expertise to do this  

· Motivated and self-confident individuals who can make informed decisions and  communicate them based on their values and beliefs. Developing their individual talents  and abilities with confidence and enjoyment 

· Inspired and responsible citizens who respect others and take part responsibly in political,  economic, social and cultural life GDF is totally committed to ensuring every student makes progress regardless of their context or starting point and believes that this is best achieved through consistently high quality of provision, including teaching, which depends upon an effective partnership with the Senior Leadership team, staff and governors.  

Values and Objectives

At GDF our objectives are to provide:

A caring, nurturing and stimulating environment that enables young people to reach their  potential, building on strengths developing weaknesses and celebrating individual  achievement  

A physically and emotionally safe supportive environment within established boundaries for the young people we look after, free from negative interactions in its many forms, including bullying and any behaviour that is disrespectful to the student, groups of students or their family or community  

Respect and dignity for each and every student regardless of their race, gender, cultural background or ability.  

An open and honest learning environment that is conducive to personal growth, whilst  taking all reasonable measures to minimise the risk of harm to self or others.

Opportunities for each young person to learn, grow and make informed choices about their future, whilst offering an environment in which they can take time to develop emotional resilience and move forward from negative experiences in their life.  

Preparation for young people so they can eventually reintegrate into the wider community.  

A working partnership with each young person and in co-operation with other agencies in order to provide a continuity and consistency of care that will benefit the young person as a whole. 

Be attentive and responsive to the wishes, needs and interests of students, involving them in decisions made about them.  

Provide levels of care that safeguard and protect students