Vision, values and aims
As an alternative provision, our mission is to provide a trauma-informed, inclusive and supportive environment where students experience personal growth, academic progress and prepare for adulthood. We have high expectations that our learners will achieve outcomes in both maths and English as well as benefitting from a diverse and inclusive curriculum that utilises our vibrant city as an outdoor classroom.
Through an ambitious and personalised curriculum, complemented by therapeutic interventions, LPW School aims to create a safe and supportive environment that addresses our students' emotional, social and educational needs. This document outlines how LPW School delivers a curriculum that aligns with LPW’s values: Collaborative, Brave, Inclusive, Compassionate and Innovative. Our values underpin everything we do at LPW School and are the values we seek to ingrain in our learners.
Collaborative – we work in partnership alongside children, young people, families, communities and other professionals to achieve success
Brave - means having the courage to show up, speak out, face challenges, and believe in a better future—even when it feels hard Inclusive – we celebrate and embrace diversity and ensure everyone is seen, heard and valued
Compassionate – we are trauma-informed - offering safe, emotionally available spaces for children and young people to learn and thrive
Innovative – we are bold and creative in our approach to inspire confidence, independence and free-thinking
“I was inspired to write. I wasn’t told to, and I wrote my own lyrics. It was a full rap about my life - my family, my experiences, my hopes for the future - and then I performed it, which was scary to do in front of staff, but I did it.”
That session was a turning point:
He chose to write
He asked for help with spelling
He wanted structure - “normal work” one day, music another
This is what our values look like in action:
Innovative - using music, not forcing writing
Compassionate - understanding what was underneath
Inclusive - adapting the approach, not lowering expectations
Brave - believing he could succeed
Many of our students have experienced adverse childhood experiences and as a result have complex trauma, often co-occurring with diagnosed/undiagnosed special educational needs (SEN). We do not believe that punitive approaches to behaviour are effective. Instead, we listen, we learn, and we adjust where needed. We don’t give up on students – we keep them safe. We do this by being an emotionally available school, creating a sense of belonging for students who feel that they do not belong in education. We are trauma informed, and we make a difference. Our approach to behaviour is one of understanding, and to enable the student to reflect and empathise. We recognise that we can’t punish trauma out of a child. We can’t consequence away anxiety. We can’t zero tolerance a nervous system back to safety.
Every student has a keyworker to enable them to feel safe in taking courageous steps in their time with us. A key worker will gain the trust of the student and provide them with a safe space to discuss their ambitions, physical and mental health, safe and positive relationships, along with their attendance. This becomes a strong partnership enabling the student to have someone who will advocate on their behalf, be it with parents or carers, colleges, support workers or external support agencies.
We support our students to be able to take the huge step in to learning self-compassion, which takes commendable bravery. We enable them to have a voice and to be able to be open with trusted adults. We ask them to work alongside staff to achieve a safe and successful ambitious route to adulthood.