School Teams
Within Sandelford School there are four ‘School Teams’, all with dedicated members of staff seeking to encourage the holistic development of those children and young people entrusted into our care.
Early Years
“Children learn as they play. Most importantly, in play children learn how to learn.” ~ O. Fred Donaldson
In our early years department, we focus on creating a positive, nurturing, and engaging learning environment, where our pupils are encouraged to explore the world around them through play and creativity both in the classroom and outdoors. Each pupil will begin their school journey with an Individual education plan bespoke to them to meet their individual needs. Our cornerstone of play aims to promote focus, attention, and purposeful communication while developing social skills, independence, and positive behaviour. In Early years we foster opportunities for interaction through shared fun times together.
Junior School
"Play is the work of childhood" - Jean Piaget.
Within the Junior School staff aim to provide the children with an enriching environment which allows them to explore, discover and begin to develop their early play skills. It is through play that children at an early age engage and interact in the world around them. Play is integral to a child's development and is therefore the major focus within this school team. The Junior School comprises of 8 classes and the Nursery unit.
The curriculum delivered aims to foster early learning skills, such as communication, attention and concentration, physical and social skills, as well as early literacy and numeracy skills. Children have vast opportunities to engage in sensory play, to express themselves creatively, to explore the world around them, and most importantly to have fun! Within this Department, staff are dedicated to ensuring that our young children are getting the best possible start to their educational journey while fostering the attributes required for school life.
Middle School
In the Middle School department, the curriculum encompasses the five core skill areas with an importance on functional literacy, functional numeracy, and life skills. The foundations that were laid in the early years are built upon, and all pupils are encouraged to develop their self-help skills and become more independent.
Learning opportunities are bespoke and cater to the individual needs. A big part of teaching and learning in Middle School focuses on developing early reading, writing and communication skills. Like the Early Years, our pupils learn through a wide range of multimodal strategies, with an emphasis on practical and play-based learning.
Our pupils benefit from many specialised therapies and strategies to support sensory integration and overall development. As they progress through the Middle School they are prepared for entering our Transition Team.
Senior School
The Senior School caters for our older pupils and focuses primarily on equipping them with the necessary life and social skills which will support them when transitioning from school into adulthood. Pupils are provided with a rich variety of opportunities and experiences which are tailored towards individual needs, abilities, interests, and aspirations. Weekly shopping trips are aimed at developing money and life skills, while sports, and creativity groups, help to promote a healthy lifestyle, and develop thinking and collaborative skills, while ensuring that each pupils’ requirements and interests are catered for.
Our pupils are encouraged to become increasingly independent learners, and at a level appropriate to individual ability, they can work towards achieving various accreditations and awards, such as Asdan, CCEA Life Skills, and the Princes Trust. Within the four oldest classes in the Senior School, pupils can attend work placements with several local businesses and organisations. These placements are extremely beneficial in promoting independence and confidence, while strengthening the essential life skills necessary within the world of continued learning and work.
Nurture Team
The Nurture Team caters for all ages 4 to 19 and is tailored to providing for pupils with complex learning needs, medical, physical and communication requirements. Our curriculum is delivered through a multi-sensory approach, allowing pupils to learn and explore using all their senses. There are also lots of exciting opportunities for sensory play. Within the Nurture Team we use a wide variety of strategies to further develop pupils’ learning and engagement. These include TacPac, Intensive Interaction, Body Awareness, Attention Autism, and Circle time. We feel that it is so important to develop our pupils’ communication skills to allow each pupil the opportunity to interact with the world around them. Staff endeavour to provide learning activities which are interesting, engaging, stimulating, and of course fun for everyone!
Further Information
Meet our Governors
School Governors work together as a team with the headteacher, who is responsible for the day-to-day management of the school....
School Policies
Here you will find links to our Child Protection Policy and Complaints Procedure Policy. If you have any questions, please...
News & Events
News & Events There is always plenty going on in our School Community from raising money for charities to celebrating...
School Holidays
Pupil Holiday List 2025-26 Pupil Phasing-In Days: 27th, 28th and 29th August School opens for all pupils: Monday 1st September...