Welcome to our alternative school
Linnet Education is an alternative school which harnesses the natural inquisitiveness of the young and engages them with learning using nature in a non-traditional school setting.
We use small class sizes for ages 8-16 to nurture any additional social or emotional needs and have fun with how we teach and learn.
Our Curriculum: Learning with Nature
Our curriculum is project based and uses science and the natural world as its core subjects. We take part in Citizen Science Projects to ensure our learning makes a difference to the world. We spend as much time using our outdoor classroom as we can to keep us healthy and engaged with learning.
How our Curriculum works
A blend of subjects
Alongside a science-based curriculum, English, Maths, History, Geography, ICT, RE, PHSE, Sports, Art and Music are all naturally embedded into lessons to ensure our curriculum can be mapped to the National Curriculum standards for relevant Key Stages.
Pedagogically, the school makes use of strategies with a proven positive impact on student achievement and blends humanist, cognitivist and behaviourist strategies to develop all students’ learning in their affective, psychomotor and cognitive learning domains.
We aim to support students with their social and emotional needs and build confidence and resilience to face today's challenges.
meeting your needs
How our Curriculum works for each student
By using students’ initial starting points, our curriculum enables students to develop and grow in ability and confidence and display mindfulness and a growth mindset.
All students are given an individual learning plan (ILP) and work towards personalised targets. This includes any support strategies. Student progress is reviewed regularly and suitable records kept. These are shared with students, parents/carers, key workers, social workers and other parties as appropriate.
Students create a portfolio of learning and skill development and work toward recognised awards throughout the year, for example The John Muir Award, ASDAN awards and the British Association of Science’s CREST awards. The portfolio utilises a variety of different evidence types, following a seasonal scheme of work to match the activities planned.
Flexibility in the scheme of work enables students to work at a pace suitable for their needs. This manages both short- and long-term placements which may start and end at any point in the year.
Student outcomes also include communication, mental health and well-being, teamwork, resilience building and concentration. These outcomes recognise and support those who have experienced trauma and adverse childhood experiences.
Behaviour and attendance is supported by a policy suitable for alternative provision and recognises the individual needs of its students and the alternative approaches needed.
A typical day
Getting Ready to Learn 9.00-9.30am
Get ready to learn with your teachers and classmates and review the plan for the day. Set your daily targets and talk about things that might affect your learning that day.
Morning Project Work 9.30-12.00pm
This activity will be a science and nature activity either indoors or outdoors depending on the weather. It will fit with the monthly theme e.g. space, and will involve exploring, experiments and excitement. You will work on your own, with a partner or with a group depending on the activity and will develop your maths and English skills at the same time. A break will also be included which might be inside or sat in the woods depending on where we are!
Lunchtime 12.00-1.00pm
Bring a packed lunch and we will eat it wherever we are- inside or out. Lunchtime can be spent chatting with each other, playing outside or inside. We have plenty of games and arts and crafts to keep you busy.
Afternoon Activity Work 1.00-3.00pm
This activity work will be quite varied and will depend on the weather but we will do lots of different things in the afternoons. Indoor activity can include dance, music, art, ICT, games, cooking and drama. Outdoor activities can include sports, walking and exploring. A break will also be included which might be inside or sat in the field depending on where we are!
End of Day Review 3.00-3.30pm
At the end of everyday you will sit with teachers and classmates and think about everything you have done in the day and whether you have reached your targets. You can talk about things that went well and things you want to improve on next time. You will also be set activities or projects to do at home.
delivery locations
Rosley Village Hall, Wigton, CA7 8AU
With a lovely wooded area, stream, outdoor play area, field, indoor space with toilets and kitchen facilities Rosley Village Hall is an ideal location for our activities.