Opening September 2026

Curriculum

Curriculum ethos

Young people with autism and anxiety can thrive if they have access to an educational environment which is personalised to them and a curriculum that is inclusive of their aptitude, aspiration, skills and knowledge. An education that builds positive resilience and instils the skills and competencies that young people need for their future life and work. With a focus on creativity, critical and conceptual thinking, originality, persuasion, problem solving and negotiation as well as the key skills of critical literacy, digital competency, financial literacy, oracy. This in combination with the knowledge base provided by studying for nationally recognised qualifications ensures that young people are able to successfully continue in education post 16.

Focusing on these skills and metacognition ‘learning to learn’ skills alongside a respect based education ensures that young people have a voice and become motivated, engaged, active participants in their learning. Small tuition size and a high adult to child ratio enable young people to take an active part in learning that is personalised to them, part time education facilitates their positive engagement to achieve and thrive both academically and socially.

International Baccalaureate

As we develop the main school, we will be working closely with International Baccalaureate to embed their unrivalled curriculum into the learning and ethos of the school. We are already in contact with them and seek to become a candidate school as soon as we are able for both primary and secondary education.

The mission statement from the IB states:

“The international baccalaureate® aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

To this end the organisation works with schools, governments and international organisations to develop challenging programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.”

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If you are considering Hawthorn Small School please get in contact with us so that we can chat about your families’ needs and what we offer.

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