Fen Rivers

Welcome Video

Safeguarding

Welcome

Welcome to Fen Rivers and thank you for your interest in our school. We believe it is very special. Fen Rivers is a therapeutic SEMH Special School offering full time education and therapeutic support to up to 96 children aged between 5 and 16 years old. Pupils are referred to the school by the local authority as part of their duties to arrange SEN provision.

At Fen Rivers we focus on the whole child. As the world begins to recover from the global coronavirus pandemic, it has never been more important to focus on mental health and wellbeing. We encourage our pupils to be their authentic selves, to explore their feelings and emotions and to develop a self awareness and emotional literacy that will stand them in good stead for the next stages of their education and for their adult lives.

As global citizens it is important that we learn and practice not only self-care and emotional wellbeing, but that we focus on tolerance, respect and the roles we can all play in our community, both at school and beyond. Children’s Rights are learned, understood and lived here and we are a United Nations Silver Rights Respecting School. We have an active school council who work alongside the staff to ensure all are involved in this important work.

I am privileged to be the Headteacher of this wonderful school. Our young people are amazing and teach us something about ourselves every day and our staff team inspire me daily with the care, dedication and unconditional positive regard they show for each of our pupils and for each other.

I hope you will enjoy looking through our website and finding out more about the work we do here and please do get in touch if you would like to find out more about the school.

Amanda Fewkes
Headteacher

Our Approach

The Fen Rivers Academy provides young people with specialist education in order for them to progress and succeed in sustained education or employment. We do this through high-quality therapeutic teaching and learning, based on effective relationships, that enable the achievement of life skills and meaningful qualifications.

We believe all children and young people have the capacity to learn regardless of their life situation. It is our role to unlock that learning potential.

We have high aspirations for our learners and aim to:

close the attainment gap of our cohort compared to their peers,
help them return to a mainstream school if this is in the best interests of the child, and
equip them with the qualifications and life skills for their next steps of employment, enterprise or further education at Key Stage 4.

Fen Rivers Staff

work in a therapeutic way
are trauma informed in their practice
focus on connections before reflection
protect, relate, regulate then reflect
support our students to become more emotionally intelligent and develop empathy and self-awareness
have a mental health and wellbeing focus
work consistently to reinforce boundaries
understand the difference between attention seeking and attachment (connection) seeking behaviours
want all of our pupils to believe in themselves and what they can achieve and succeed
understand that the absence of danger doesn’t necessarily imply safety (lack of threat)

People, Place and Purpose at Fen Rivers...

Fen Rivers Learners leave us

a positive member of society whose needs have been understood and met
able to read fluently
ready to move to the next stage of education or employment

Therapeutic delivery of the national curriculum, informed by a collective understanding of our children’s needs and rights.

This is underpinned by SEMH assessment; 3Ps reflection data; behaviour support plans and risk assessments; an understanding of trauma informed practice and normalisation of talk around everybody’s mental health and wellbeing.

Our Curriculum

Our mission is to enable young people to progress and succeed in sustained education. To do this, we intend to give young people a broad and rich curriculum that gives them both the academic skills and qualifications needed to move successfully to the next stage of their lives, and the personal development skills to ensure a fulfilling future. We have set a curriculum in line with the national curriculum alongside a school structure which supports our young people to overcome their barriers to learning ensuring our young people have bright futures both in their personal and professional lives.

Overarching Aim:

For students to leave with the skills and knowledge to successfully be positive contributors to society
For students to leave being fluent readers

Curriculum Knowledge and Skills Intentions

To equip students with key knowledge and skills as determined by the National Curriculum for their age (chronological or working at age)
Individual Class Learning Journeys have been created to show the pathway through the academic year and prepare pupils for ‘learning’ that is to come
All staff to teach Sounds, Write Phonics and Early Reading across the academy, including DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) daily, promoting reading for pleasure
A bespoke Maths curriculum and an English curriculum which supports our our writing strategy and whole-school reading priority
An immersive thematic focus in Primary classroom environments, supporting humanities lessons and extended writing lessons
PSHE lessons and Votes for Schools delivered to build understanding of self and the young person’s place in the world. Votes for Schools give young people a voice about current affairs.
A bespoke therapeutic approach to delivering PDBA in our afternoons, building on executive function skills, promoting pro social skills and reducing blocks to learning.

Science, Food tech, PE, Art, CIAG (KS3), RE, Computing, Forest School (KS 1 and 2) add to our broad curriculum and allows pupils to express themselves creatively and acquire new knowledge of the world around them.
Key stage 1 pupils will do the Phonics Check and Key Stage One SATS and Key Stage 2 students will have the opportunity to sit SATS and the Times Tables check
The curriculum ensures all students leave with knowledge of essential first aid.
Our curriculum is ambitious and includes exposure to a variety of new experiences by working towards the DfE Activity Passport of experiences (associated with Life Skills)
Interventions are used to support pupils to ‘catch up’ and develop their academic and personal skills
There is a devoted daily reflection time where 3Ps (points awarded for People, Place and Purpose) during the day are shared and discussed 1:1 and subsequently communicated to parents.

Curriculum Flexibility Intentions

Provide a flexible and therapeutic approach to delivering the national curriculum, and one that aims to connect with children where they are at. We Protect-Relate-Regulate-Reflect with students and begin to bridge their academic gaps, where these exist. Emotional Literacy support and external agencies support the common mission statement of the academy
Use Motional assessment to identify areas of personal development that need support, and inform staff of the strategies and responses that lend themselves to effective connection.
Provide opportunities and experiences for students’ personal development and support them with personal aspirations.

Cultural Capital Intentions

A full programme of PSHE incorporating relationships education to support students in learning how to keep themselves safe, and to develop personal values and respect for others.
A fully embedded approach to SMSC, alongside personal development, RE, citizenship and British values
Votes for Schools giving discussion and insight on topical issues of the day
Through the ambitious curriculum, and extra experiences and support offered, our students are supported to be successful.

Kilham's Way, King's Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 2HU

Phone: +44 (0)1553 887330

Email: FenRiversOffice@thebridgetrust.academy

Key contact: Amanda Fewkes, Headteacher

Headteacher / DDSL / MHFA: Amanda Fewkes
Deputy Head / DDSL: James Thompson