My Choice School

Independent SEMH School for Yr 7 to Yr11

My Choice School works together to create an ethos that is relevant to the needs and unique life experiences of our young people.

We aim to reflect the values of

• Democracy
• Rule of Law
• Individual liberty
• Mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs 
• Respect for other cultures and their values
• Responsibility
• Tolerance
• Belief in personal and social responsibility

We promote these values through our curriculum and through our school community, in assemblies and in the Student Council.

We aim to provide a safe environment in which each student can achieve personal progress both academically and socially; develop resilience to success and failure and believe in their own worth to enable them to move onto the next stage in their life. We provide an appropriate level of challenge while supporting emotional needs and encouraging responsibility for actions and behaviour. 

My Choice School has a therapeutic approach to learning, using PACE. 

PACE is a way of thinking, feeling, communicating and behaving that aims to make a child feel safe. PACE was developed by Dan Hughes as with the aim of supporting adults to build safe, trusting and meaningful relationships with children and young people who have experienced trauma. 

PACE is:  

Playfulness – This is about creating an atmosphere of lightness and interest when we communicate. 

Acceptance – Unconditional acceptance is at the core of the child’s sense of safety. 

Curiosity – Curiosity is wondering about the meaning behind the behaviour for the child. Curiosity lets the child know that the adults understand. 

Empathy – Empathy lets the child feel the adult’s compassion for them. Being empathic means the adult actively showing the child that the child’s inner life is important to the adult and they want to be with the child in their hard times. 

Aims of My Choice School

• To develop the self esteem of all students and encourage sound choices in their behaviour.
• To develop a desire to achieve and learn new skills in all students.
• To engage students and parents / carers in our approach to education and build a successful partnership between home and school.
• To prepare students for adult life.
• To ensure that all Year 11 students achieve a place at post 16 provision or employment.