OUR MISSION

Owls is an Alternative Provision set in the heart of Laughton Forest, Lincolnshire. Here at Owls, we have three dedicated members of full-time staff who collectively bring over 30 years of valuable experience in teaching, animal care, and Alternative Provision. We are situated on the serene and peaceful grounds of a sprawling 14.5-acre farm where we house around 40 different animals. These animals include a variety of species such as alpacas, sheep, goats, Shetland ponies, pigs, dogs, and guinea pigs, which add to the enriching environment we provide.

We offer a range of AQA unit award schemes that are closely associated with our animals, as well as the junior forest awards, which enhance our students' learning experiences. Our facilities include a well-equipped classroom, an inviting outdoor camp craft area, a serene fishing lake, and poly tunnels where students have the opportunity to grow their own fresh fruit and vegetables. These diverse areas allow us to seamlessly integrate numeracy and literacy activities into our daily curriculum.

Furthermore, we work on developing vital social skills through a variety of engaging activities, including camp craft, outdoor cooking, fishing, arts and crafts, and cooperative games. These activities not only promote teamwork but also provide numerous opportunities for social, emotional, and mental health well-being, ensuring that our students participate in a well-rounded educational experience throughout the day.

Intent

We at OWLS aim to be a short-term intervention that helps students continue their education when they find themselves unable to attend their regular school for various reasons. Our primary purpose is to re-engage students who have been excluded, who refuse to attend, who are too ill, or who face a variety of other complex issues. We are dedicated to helping these individuals achieve their full potential and prepare them for a successful future life. At OWLS, our carefully crafted curriculum has been designed with the intention of ensuring that every student can live life to its fullest by building a positive, stress-free educational environment. We employ a range of effective learning strategies that include offering AQA unit award schemes to accommodate different learning preferences.

We provide stimulating and enriching learning experiences that empower each student to fulfill their unique potential. Students in our program are encouraged to actively utilize their literacy, numeracy, and oracy skills, enabling them to meaningfully share and articulate their learning with peers and educators alike. Our curriculum is bespoke, tailored specifically to meet the needs of our students. By modeling and fostering both individual and collaborative learning experiences, we promote a positive growth mindset, a strong sense of responsibility, and the confidence to tackle challenges that extend beyond the classroom.

Additionally, we enhance learning experiences by raising awareness of local areas, community cultures, and varying needs of individuals. This approach helps us cultivate outward-thinking students who are not only able to engage meaningfully in their own learning but also in learning about themselves and others, while gaining insight into the complexities of the wider world. Ultimately, the curriculum is intended to

  • be inclusive

  • develop our hearts and character

  • who we are

  • foster our actions and attitude

  • how we live and learn

  • guide our moral compass

  • where we fit in the world

  • support our social, emotional, and mental health and well-being.

By adhering to these core beliefs, we will consistently support and enhance teaching and learning across all aspects of OWLS Alternative Provision. Furthermore, we encourage students to reflect thoughtfully on what and who they aspire to be, and how they can effectively apply their knowledge, skills, understanding, and talents in order to make a positive impact on their families, fellow students, cultures, communities, society, and the wider world.

 Implement

At OWLS, we are all collectively responsible for effectively planning each day using the structured framework of the AQA unit award scheme, along with a strong emphasis on numeracy, literacy, and essential life skills. Together, we make informed decisions regarding which resources are most suitable for meeting the diverse needs of each individual student, determining what materials will be utilized and how they can be adapted to ensure accessibility and understanding. We actively draw upon our collective knowledge and expertise to demonstrate best practices in education, while providing necessary support for every student. Each of us is tasked with designing a clear progression tailored for all students and ensuring that all staff members, as well as families, are adequately informed about curriculum expectations. This comprehensive approach is implemented through ongoing training, careful monitoring, coaching, and collaborative team teaching, all with a focused aim of ensuring that positive outcomes can be achieved by all students, regardless of their starting point.

Impact

We all consistently evaluate the attitude, progress, and cooperation of the students at the end of every single day across all activities, which in turn is used to analyze how effectively each student is achieving or even exceeding established expectations. This thoughtful strategy allows us to adapt our planning accordingly, ensuring that students develop a broad and balanced set of skills, knowledge, understanding, and values, which are essential for helping them get ahead in life. In short, they will enjoy more opportunities to learn, remember more information, feel safe, and develop a healthy emotional state and overall well-being, including resilience. Our program at OWLS will significantly improve students' motivation, enhance their social skills, and foster greater independence. As a result, they will attend with increased self-confidence and actively engage in and progress through all activities. Students will have clearly defined goals and objectives so that they can engage, progress, and ultimately succeed in their learning endeavours. This comprehensive approach enables them to be prepared to move on in their lives in a positive, confident, friendly, and mature manner.