Duke of Edinburgh Award

Pupils are offered the opportunity to complete the Duke of Edinburgh’s award as part of their curriculum, we are currently running both the bronze and silver awards at Cleaswell Hill School. To achieve the award pupils are required to; improve their physical fitness, learn a new skill, help improve the community or environment and complete an expedition.

By completing the award pupils will gain confidence, learn how to work as part of a team, improve their communication and develop their resilience. Pupils can achieve the award regardless of their ability, gender or background – it’s all about setting personal challenges, discovering new interests and most importantly having a great time!

Forest School

Our vision and ethos for Forest School at Cleaswell Hill School reflects the ethos and principles of Forest School as a movement;

Through our forest school sessions, we want to allow children to learn and build a respect and appreciation for nature around them, 

and to develop themselves into becoming more independent and confident learners through a child-centred approach.  

The approach is based on the following points:

The forest school sessions will be held on a weekly basis over the school year so that the children can experience the seasons. Planning will be fluid, based on children’s interest and engagement.

The sessions will aim to provide sensory interactions that enable sensory stimulation or regulation that is all natural, moving at a sensory rhythm with peacefulness.

A total communication approach will be used in these sessions, aiming to allow children to communicate with the adults, each other and the environment.

The sessions will take place in the wildlife area; an enclosed natural and wooded area of our school site.

The sessions will aim to develop children’s resilience, confidence, independence and their creative and critical thinking skills.

The sessions will offer children the opportunities to learn about risks of the natural environment and how to manage them and their own safety. The adults present will also provide children with opportunities to take supported risks appropriate to the environment and themselves.

The sessions will be run with a child centred approach, to enable children to guide their own learning and development.

The sessions will run throughout the year, in all weathers (except extreme weathers that would pose safety issues).

The sessions might include activities such as shelter building, using tools, fire lighting, planting, carving/whittling, sculpture with natural materials, looking after wildlife, cooking, group games, studying and learning about the wildlife, woodland crafts, story- telling and free, imaginative play.

All sessions are planned and risk assessed.

Trained staff deliver bespoke sessions in our school hydrotherapy pool.

Pupils have access to swimming coaching at local swimming pools, receiving certificates and badges for their achievements. We meet the national curriculum requirement to support all of our pupils, where possible, to swim competently, confidently and proficiently over a distance of at least 25 metres.

Pupils have access to two trampolines and staff trained in delivering these sessions. Rebound therapy sessions take place Monday-Thursdays.

We have good links with regional coaching schemes including Newcastle United Football Foundation, (PFC) Professional Football Coaching and Northumberland Cricket Board. Using community facilities such as Seb and Olivia’s den and local leisure centres enables a range of physical leisure opportunities for a large number of our pupils.

Pupils have weekly PE lessons with opportunities to develop their technical ability in a range of different sporting activities. Pupils will either follow a specialised multi skills or sport specific curriculum. Alongside this pupils within phase 5 and 6 have the chance to take part in a further sports group on a Friday. Pupils have the opportunity to play in a range of dinner time, after school clubs and school teams. School has access to trained teachers/coaches for many of these activities. Our sporting facilities are outstanding and include an outdoor sports field, all-weather Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) and outdoor gym.