“Relationships between pupils and staff are exceptionally strong. Pupils trust the staff and, as a result, pupils grow in confidence so that they are able to succeed in all areas of their learning.”
We are delighted to welcome Keyham Lodge, Millgate School and Ash Field Schools to the Discovery Trust.
Based in the city of Leicester, both schools relentlessly strive to remove barriers to learning, close attainment gaps and provide an inclusive environment that is child centred and learning focussed.
We look forward to our partnership with these two schools and are excited about what we can accomplish through collaborative learning.
Keyham Lodge School
Keyham Lodge School is a vibrant and successful City Special School which is part of a federation with neighbouring Millgate School.
All students have an education health care plan and the school cohort is made up of KS3 and KS4 and caters for both girls and boys from KS3 upwards.
We are a diverse school and we welcome students from a range of ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds, which contributes to our unique values and ethos.
For the majority of our students, their education prior to joining us has been disrupted and because of this, the school relentlessly strives to remove barriers to learning, close attainment gaps and provide an inclusive environment that is child centred and learning focussed.
Our aim is to ensure the academic, personal and social development of all of our students so that they can develop their potential, both in school and in the wider community. We understand that our students have individual talents and in order to ensure success for every child, we believe that education goes beyond the core curriculum and out of the confines of the classroom and consequently, we have adapted our curriculum offer to ensure students are prepared for the next stage of their life, whether that be within education or in the workplace.
Millgate School
Millgate School is an amazing place that is ‘Transforming Lives and Inspiring Futures’ everyday. As a staff and student body, we work tirelessly to ensure excellent learning experiences for all and our mission to secure exceptional outcomes, in a range of forms, is uncompromising.
We are a special school in every sense of the word and passionately believe in our ambition to transform lives and inspire futures.
Our aim is for everybody who comes into contact with our school to leave richer for the experience. We are a dedicated community of staff and pupils who in partnership with our federated school Keyham Lodge, have been on an upward trajectory over the last 5 years.
At Millgate School relationships are key; we take pride in getting to know our pupils and their families and in ensuring they receive the best possible level of care and support on their journey though our school.
Ash Field School
Ash Field Academy is an amazing place that provides an outstanding education for our pupils. Our school motto is ‘Reach for Success’ and this is apparent with everything we do.
Our overarching vision for our school is as follows:
All pupils receive the very best education and care;
are best supported to live happy and fulfilling lives beyond Ash Field;
enjoy as much independence as possible;
and are able to positively contribute to society.
We are an enthusiastic and professional staff team who keep the progress and development of children at the centre of our thinking. We believe strongly in creating new and exciting opportunities and making sure that learning is both engaging and relevant. Parents are a vital part of the team and are very positive and supportive.
Our pupils’ individual needs are our focus at all times and we continually strive to improve our provision to meet their needs effectively. We don’t want our pupils to thrive simply during a particular session or even over the duration of their placement, but instead we are concerned with sustained improvements and life-long impact. We recognise that this is what will really improve both their life-chances and the quality of their life.
Whilst we take our responsibilities incredibly seriously and are always driving to improve for the children and young people in our care, we also know that pupils achieve best when they are having fun and this too is a key part of the Ash Field philosophy.
Many values underpin our work but as a staff team, five stood out for us: Trust, Respect, Aspiration, Collaboration and Kindness (‘keeping us on TRACK’).
Trust – We have trust in each other. We always start by assuming best intentions and have a level of professional trust which allows people to carry out their jobs. The same is true for external professionals, especially those from the NHS and social care, as well as parents and carers. We recognise the need to have the belief that ‘it could happen here’, especially in relation to safeguarding, but this does not undermine our trust in each other; stakeholders, including staff and parents / carers understand the reasons for this and why we report concerns. Whilst quality assurance measures are rigorous, they too are underpinned by trust as they are supportive and positive, assuming best intentions, and in place to ensure we can all work together to provide the best for the pupils of Ash Field.
Respect – We respect ourselves, each other and of course the children and young people we care for. Dignity and the highest standard of care are a significant part of this. We value the opinions of all those involved in a pupil’s life: the child themselves, their parents or carers, the staff working with them in both Resi and the day school, and external agencies, particularly from health and social care. We know that by working together and respecting each other’s views and wishes, we can achieve so much more. This respect leads to trust between children and adults, between staff and with parents.
Aspiration – We want the very best for all of our pupils, staff and parents. We are ambitious in our aims and always keen to go further, developing both ourselves and others. For us, ‘Outstanding’ isn’t enough; we want to be providing the absolute best care and education for all.
Collaboration – We are One Team. We all recognise our individual role and each other’s in achieving our core aims as part of a team. We accept that our roles come with different functions, expectations and therefore responsibilities, and yet all roles are equally valid and valuable. Staff, pupils, parents and carers, and external professionals feel part of our team.
Kindness – We know that children learn ‘how to be’ from what they see adults do far more than what adults say and we want our children to always see kindness, whatever the situation, so that they learn to do the same. Our children and parents deserve kindness. Many of them have gone through extremely difficult times in their lives already and showing understanding and compassion is often greatly needed. In addition, as a staff team, looking after each other and being kind helps support our well-being in what is often a difficult but truly amazing and rewarding job. We must be one team, connected and united to provide the very best to our children and their families.
