Redefining education
We don't just educate; we nurture support and propel our pupils towards a future where their potential knows no bounds. Join us on a transformative journey, where education extends beyond textbooks, therapy nurtures resilience, and futures are shaped with purpose and promise.
Love of learning
At Oversands School, our bespoke curriculum allows us to deliver learning that is accessible, engaging, and packed with adventure and discovery through educational visits and field trips to support and enhance learning experiences.
Our commitment to a well-rounded education includes a focus on social development. Through enrichment activities that promote collaboration, friendship, social interaction, and teamwork, pupils build interpersonal skills, empowering them to navigate relationships, contribute meaningfully to their communities, and succeed in diverse environments. We take pride in focusing on friendships and a strong sense of community. By doing so, children and young people learn to appreciate diverse perspectives and support one another, contributing to a positive and inclusive learning environment.
Young people leave us with nationally recognised outcomes at a level that is right for them, ranging from entry-level certificates to functional skills awards, BTECs and GCSEs. This equips them to confidently take their next steps into further education, apprenticeships or employment.
Our outstanding offer
One of the most unique aspects of our school is our setting. Located in the heart of Cumbria, we have access to the stunning Lake District, and we use this natural environment to enhance our curriculum. Our Learning Outside the Classroom programme ensures that all our pupils engage with outdoor learning on a weekly basis, from forest school activities to community-based projects. Through outdoor learning, help our learners to build practical skills, while also focus on developing resilience, confidence, and a greater sense of self through controlled, well-managed risk-taking.
Our outdoor curriculum provides far more than just fresh air. The benefits of nature on mental well-being are profound, reducing stress hormones like cortisol and boosting mood-enhancing chemicals such as dopamine. Even children and young people who may initially be hesitant to engage with outdoor activities experience the therapeutic and calming effects of nature. In this environment they can collaborate with their peers, and learn in a less formal, more dynamic way.
We take pride in offering a broad and robust vocational curriculum that provides pupils with hands-on learning opportunities that prepare pupils for the future. Our school is equipped with a working motor vehicle garage, construction facilities, and land-based study areas, including a Victorian walled garden. Here, they learn horticulture and rural studies, growing produce, which they then share with the local community through the village shop. This teaches valuable life skills and also encourages a sense of responsibility and care for their environment.
We are proud of the enterprise projects our children and young people are involved in, including participating in local farmers' markets. These initiatives link to catering, hospitality, and business qualifications, and also promote vital skills in entrepreneurship and community engagement. Through these activities, pupils learn to develop independence, confidence, and a sense of purpose as they work towards their goals.
The experienced and diverse team at our primary provision ensure pupils access the national curriculum in a personalised way, with regular interventions to increase literacy and vocabulary so that they are able to articulate their thoughts and feelings.
The primary provision follows a topic based curriculum which helps teaching and learning become more interesting, relevant and motivating. This approach enables pupils to make connections, transfer knowledge and apply it as they build their understanding and confidence. This has ultimately resulted in continuity and comprehension of the topics being more thorough, whilst pupils are able to apply critical thinking as they identify, categorise, compare and find themes.
The topic based curriculum facilitates the engagement of learning and discreetly allows for pupils to enjoy subjects that they previously did not. For example, the topic of Romans in Britain will see pupils exploring the Roman Empire and their impact on Britain at the time and the legacy it left future generations. In Art, pupils get creative and make Roman busts and mosaics, while in Design & Technology they build a chariot and an aqueduct. Dance and Music sees pupils create a dance/drama of an invasion and a battle. English lessons explore debating on the subjects of opposition or collaboration and in Geography they locate and understand the extent of the empire.
For some young people with special educational needs a residential boarding placement can offer the right balance of education, support and stability that will then allow them to make rapid academic progress and develop socially.
The young person will attend the school as a day pupil, benefiting from the expertise and support we offer whilst the residential offer provides a warm and welcoming environment that allows for the development of positive relationships with peers and adults. The dedicated staff team creates a family atmosphere where shared experiences provide opportunities for personal development and a sense of belonging.
Our young people live in our boarding houses and return to their home setting on a weekly or fortnightly basis.
Our strong ethos and co-ordinated approach sees school and boarding staff work closely with parents and carers to enable each child or young person to develop into confident, independent and ambitious young adults.
The approach has a strong focus on enriching each young person’s social and communication skills which enable them to make friends, engage in new activities and experiences, and move forward with an ambition to discover and learn. The school and boarding staff teams both support and positively challenge each young person to widen their scope of life experiences and encourage them to experiment and undertake a fresh challenge, which ultimately results in them improving their knowledge, skills and ability. Every pupil is guided by experienced and empathetic professionals who will be able to plan and adapt to ensure pupils achieve and succeed.
We aim to provide pupils with opportunities so that they can reach milestones in education and make progress with their emotional wellbeing and social development. The teaching, support and clinical staff team at Oversands are an integral part of reaching this aim as the expertise and drive of our professionals ensure pupils access a range of programmes so that they can flourish and enjoy learning in our inspiring environment.
We have officially partnered with the Johan Cruyff Foundation, which was set up by one of the world’s greatest sporting icons. The aim of the organisation is to support and develop sports activities for children and young people all over the world.
The school’s state of the art Cruyff Court, is an all-weather pitch which supports small group sports, including football, basketball, volleyball and netball, and an additional grassed field area. The aim of the space is where pupils can grow, make friends and improve their mental health.
Therapy
Our on-site Clinical Team provide pupils with unrivalled levels of therapeutic support, in terms of the level of expertise, the ratio of qualified therapists and clinicians to children and young people, and the range of therapies offered. Pupils have the support of our Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and other specialists as required.
We believe that unless a child or young person is able to feel emotionally safe and secure, they are less likely to fulfil their personal, social and educational potential. Our unique approach to supporting young people through our Wave Model enables them to go on to realise a future filled with aspiration and achievement.
Oversands School's Clinical Team complete thorough and skilled assessments that support a shared understanding of the complex needs we see in our children and young people. This enables us to put purposeful and appropriate interventions in place and assess our effectiveness through the tracking of outcomes and impact.
Futures
At Oversands School we are dedicated to raising the aspirations of our pupils, while also equipping them with the skills and confidence to realise outstanding outcomes. The Futures programme inspires and connects pupils with their next steps beyond education, utilising a growing network of over 350 employer partnerships, including the likes of Microsoft, Mercedes and John Lewis, to provide outstanding experiences of the workplace and ongoing opportunities and support. Our Futures sessions provide practical guidance on job applications, confidence-building, networking, and workplace expectations, giving children and young people the tools to navigate their career paths with clarity. Complementing this, our Futures curriculum enriches academic growth while developing personal development and career readiness, ensuring they are prepared for their chosen paths. With no upper age limit on support, the programme boasts a 100% success rate in transitioning students into education, employment, or training.