“Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fall down and get back up again.”
Nelson Mandela
Welcome from Head of Lower School
On behalf of the children, staff, Governors and Trustees I would like to welcome you to Cloughwood Academy Lower School. Cloughwood Academy is a school where individuals are valued and nurtured to achieve their personal best regardless of their needs, starting points or previous experiences. Children are supported in becoming confident, resilient, and independent young people, who thrive on challenge, and are motivated to learn. All schools have their own distinctive ‘feel’ which makes each one unique. We believe that the ‘special feel’ at Cloughwood Academy comes from our nurturing approach and our belief that all children deserve the right to the best quality education.
I am extremely proud to lead a team that is committed to children’s well-being, achieving high standards and providing the very best opportunities for all in our care. Staff, supported by Governors and Trustees, work hard to deliver a rich and broad curriculum which addresses gaps in learning and prepares children for their future education by equipping them with the skills and enthusiasm needed to embrace the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
Selecting a school for your child is a daunting process and I realise how important it is to feel trust in the people that care for your child each day and know that your child is receiving the best possible opportunities to be successful and fulfilled. Each of our staff is highly trained, professional and dedicated, they will always go that extra mile to ensure that every child is valued, inspired and engaged in their education. By choosing Cloughwood Academy your child will not only benefit from being a member of an outstanding school community, but will also continue their journey towards independence by graduating to our upper school and sixth form college where they can follow a bespoke and sector leading curriculum. They will also be able to access our outstanding residential provision up to two nights per week or for extended days. Whilst on our residential provision they will experience a broad range of fun and educational activities designed to promote independence and foster personal development. For more information about our Residential please see the follow this link.
To find out about our school, we encourage you to come and visit, to see us in action and meet staff and children. A call to the school office on 01606 537690 is all that is needed to arrange this.
We look forward to welcoming you to our school, and to a happy and successful partnership with all our children and families.
Mr. Robert Newton
Headteacher
Welcome from Head of Upper School
We are committed to ensuring our pupils are prepared for adulthood and have all the skills and tools to succeed in their next steps; from work or apprenticeships to further education. Our pupils have benefited from the nurturing learning environment offered in Lower School and have participated in a robust transition to the next phase of their education. For more information about Lower School please follow this link:
Our pupils thrive in a community where they are given every opportunity to learn how to Be Their Best Possible Selves and are encouraged to be a better version of themselves today than they were yesterday. Pupils are able to make and learn from mistakes in a safe space staffed with people committed to ensuring the best outcomes for them. The pupils know they are cared for, they work hard and want to achieve.
2021-2022 was an incredibly busy year for us filled with significant achievements. I am particularly proud of our OFSTED inspection in October 2021. We are 1 of only 2% of schools nationally who has retained our Outstanding under the new framework. In the same academic year Nurture UK afforded us Beacon status as well as the Quality Mark, using us as an example of Good Practice to other schools. I am also proud to announce that we have gained the Gatsby Benchmark for our detailed work around careers and received an OFSTED Outstanding grade for our Residential provision.
What is special and unique about Upper School is our Futures Curriculum. This starts in year 11, meaning we finish all key stage 4 exams at the end of year 10. The year 11s embark on an experience designed specifically to prepare our pupils for the world of work. Our Futures Curriculum Offer continues to grow year on year. In addition to Motor Vehicle, Land Based Studies, Construction, Catering, and Duke of Edinburgh, I am pleased to announce the introduction, this year, of Hair and Beauty, Child Care and Art. Our ever-growing offer ensures that all pupils have the best chance of succeeding into adult life with qualifications and experiences that place them at a level playing field to their peers. Our intent in year 11 is to have a ‘taster’ of all our Futures curriculum on offer at Cloughwood.
This year we have launched our 6th form college, giving pupils the opportunity to develop specialisms in any of the subjects available in our Futures provision. We are excited to welcome new pupils to our college and look forward to watching them grow and develop into outstanding young adults. For more information about our college please follow this link:
To find out more about upper school please explore our website and check out our Instagram account.
