Welcome to The Chiltern School, where we dare to be different!

The Chiltern School is a forward thinking ‘Centre of Excellence’, where we put the pupils at the heart of all decision making. We endeavour to take a holistic approach, valuing the whole child.

We have created a culture of learning and discovery that is stimulating and enjoyable, learning is fun and exciting. Our learning starts with the child and our aim is for all pupils to achieve their academic potential and be able to lead independent and fulfilling lives.

Underpinning our work is an ethos of distributed leadership, empowering the school community and promoting independence. We will encourage each other to take risks, have a go and try new things, with a fearless pursuit of inspirational and high quality teaching.

We strive to promote in our children the ability to be happy, confident, inquisitive and independent. Confident to move on, they will have the ability and desire to build on the skills they have developed and they will have a strong set of practical, social and emotional life skills to enable them to get things done and get along with people.

We provide a relevant and rich curriculum that is enjoyable, interactive and creative. It is designed to take account of pupils’ abilities, interests and experiences; at the heart of the curriculum is the development of functional independence, communication and emotional wellbeing. The curriculum is highly personalised; pupils follow relevant learning pathways to meet their changing needs, with a strong emphasis on celebrating the small steps.

We have created a caring yet purposeful environment where high expectations, good manners and positive relationships are nurtured. We foster mutually respectful relationships with warmth, humour and pleasant firmness that allow pupils to take responsibility for themselves.

Staff work together, expertly and enthusiastically – we are experts in our field. We provide high quality opportunities for continuous professional development, promote action research and use evidence based practice to enrich our own learning. We aspire to be national leaders for school to school support and outreach so that other children with SEND benefit too.

We work closely and collaboratively with families and other professionals to ensure every child has a happy, purposeful experience and one that allows them to thrive. They will take with them a sense of personal achievement and pride in their talents.