Aurora Ivy Lane School

Aurora Ivy Lane School is a specialist school offering child-centred education and support, including a full range of Therapeutic Services based on site, for 24 young people aged 11 to 19 in an environment that complements their individual needs, capabilities and aspirations whilst allowing them the opportunity to progress and reach their full potential.

We support students to take huge steps forward with individually tailored support, learning opportunities and clinical expertise which come together to give everyone the skills and confidence they need to be who they want to be.

Located on the outskirts of Wakefield city centre, Aurora Ivy Lane School opens up a range of community learning opportunities for all of its young people. We have a range of different learning environments, classrooms and well equipped learning spaces to complement the wide variety of available activities and to create positive learning opportunities. Within the school's grounds we have our own ICT suite, library, sports hall, outdoor gym, sensory rooms, arts and crafts workshop, outdoor playground, media room, dining room and learning intervention rooms. Excellent relationships have been established with local sensory facilities, working farms, pet rescue centres, soft play centres, gyms and leisure centres.

We aim to develop independence through learning in school and a community environment that offers warmth, security and consistency. Aurora Ivy Lane School offers a person-centred approach that is strongly child-centred. We are committed to ensuring the health, safety and welfare of the young people we support. Our safeguarding arrangements sit in this context, creating a safe environment to maximise potential.

At Aurora Ivy Lane School we are very aware that the educational input students receive during their years with us will be highly important not only to the quality of their childhood but also to their quality of life on leaving us and entering adulthood. To support this, our curriculum is driven by the key principles of: accessibility, engagement, relevance, variety and demonstrable progression. As opposed to following a 'one size fits all' approach to achieving these principles, our four pathways acknowledge the individuality of our students on admission and the range of aims they will have from their time in education. Should assessment identify at any point that changes in provision can improve a student's experience or progress then we will offer the flexibility to ensure these are undertaken.

Aurora Ivy Lane School has access to an in-house team of therapists and clinicians employed by The Aurora Group. The Applied Psychology Team is made up of Psychologists and Behaviour Therapists, with support from assistants. The team aims to understand the emotional, social and behavioural needs of a young person to reduce any distress and promote positive wellbeing. They work with the young people being supported, their families and school staff to develop a PBS plan, which communicates their preferences, strengths and needs in relation to achieving the best learning outcomes possible.