Welcome to Fortuna!
I hope that our website gives you an insight into our educational ethos and values, as well as what it is like to be a pupil at our school.
Fortuna is a primary special school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs and is proud to be federated with Athena Secondary School. As a federation we are proud of our nurturing and pioneering approach to supporting pupils with their SEMH needs by recognising every child as an individual.
As a school, Fortuna has been recognised by Ofsted as an outstanding provider for four consecutive inspections, and during our most recent visit in September 2023 Ofsted observed:
‘Nurture and pupil’s wellbeing is central to everything that happens at Fortuna School. The school has the highest expectations for pupil’s achievements. Pupils flourish as soon as they join Fortuna.’
As a whole school team, we work to support our pupils by understanding their life experiences and support an understanding of how this can affect the way in which they may view the world. We can then work together to achieve our vision as a federation:
‘Acknowledge the past, manage the present and work towards the future.’
At Fortuna School, we consider each of our pupils’ needs holistically. We believe that by supporting them with their social, developmental, academic and behavioural needs that we are providing them with the understanding and skills to be successful in their lives, beyond the time that they spend with us.
In order to achieve this, we strive to foster positive relationships with our families to be able to work together to provide tailored support for our pupils and their families.
I have been a part of Fortuna School in various roles for 18 years and now, as a head teacher, I am immensely proud of our school and the dedicated staff team that provide an outstanding level of support for our pupils. I share with my school team the belief that relationships are the cornerstone of the work we do with our pupils and building positive, trusting relationships with staff is fundamental in supporting our pupils in fulfilling their potential.
Central to our whole school approach is the strongly held belief that play is vital for developing pupils’ social and developmental skills as well as building self-esteem, resilience and promoting positive, reciprocal relationships. At Fortuna School, all children have access to high quality play experiences each day as part of our play curriculum.
If we understand our children and are prepared to meet them at their starting points, then we can carefully consider how best to support them as individuals. This enables our pupils to not only be successful at school and achieve academically but also develop the tools they need to manage their feelings safely and form healthy, positive relationships. There is specific focus on helping our pupils learn to carry and develop these tools into their future as they strive towards successful, happy lives.
To understand more about our school, I recommend that you take a look at some of the key policies that outline the ‘why’ behind the work that we do. They include:
- Nurture policy
- Child Development policy
- Behaviour management policy
- Play policy
If you require any further information about our school or would like to arrange an appointment to visit or to speak to myself, please contact the school office.