A huge celebration took place this summer at Potterspury Lodge School following the students' hard work over the last academic year. Overcoming the hardships caused by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, students have gone above and beyond expectations, achieving some truly outstanding results! We really could not be any prouder.
Special mentions go out to the following students:
Samuel Baines
(Year 7 and just 12 years old at the time of GCSE Entrance) Milton Keynes Day Student, Joined Potterspury Lodge in April 2019.
Achieved a GCSE Grade 5 in Citizenship
Samuel joined us having spent a period of time out of school. His barriers to learning present as how he articulates in social situations, self-criticism about his work, and self advocating. Teaching and Clinical staff have supported Samuel with thought and expression in dialogue, self-advocacy and have pursued his gifts and talents for debate alongside government and politics through supporting him to achieve his first GCSE in Citizenship at the age of just 12.
Thomas Church
(Year 11) Milton Keynes Day Student, Joined Potterspury Lodge in November 2017.
Achieved a total of 7 GCSEs.
Grade 7 (Music*) • Grade 4 (Art, Citizenship, English, Mathematics, Media) • Grade 3 (Biology).
* Three grades higher than his CAT score prediction.
Thomas also gained a Level 1 ASDAN award in Food and an Entry level 2 in History and Entry Level 2 in Art.
Thomas joined us having been on a part time timetable at his previous school. His barriers to learning constituted around self confidence, attention and concentration difficulties, and a high degree of anxiety. Thomas’s peers see him as a role model and through working with his teachers and the clinical team Thomas has developed coping strategies for his self esteem and barriers to learning. He has blossomed into an able musician who writes and performs his own work, this culminated in a performance in front of his peers after the Ofsted result in an assembly. He has worked diligently in music and achieved three grades higher than his predicted grade – a wonderful feat.
Thomas has a place in our Sixth Form as a Senior Student to study with us in preparation for a college course in Music.
Jacob Crew
(Year 11) Milton Keynes Day Student, Joined Potterspury Lodge in June 2016.
Achieved a total of 7 GCSE’s
Grade 6 (Citizenship, History, Maths) • Grade 5 (English) • Grade 6-5 (Double Science) • Grade 4 (Computing Science)
Jacob joined Potterspury Lodge having been home tutored, he had sadly suffered a bereavement, and also had to overcome seizures that he had endured from the age of 10 months old. Jacob finds communication and social interaction a challenge with people who are not familiar to him alongside showing his working out in his academic subjects. Jacob spent a lot of key stage three out of lessons due to his challenges. Through developing relationships with staff over time, learning to cope with change and working with the clinical team Jacob has flourished into a learner who can access the curriculum and thrive.
Jacob is staying in the Sixth Form to study A levels in Maths, Computer Science, and Chemistry as a Senior Student; Potterspury Lodge will be supporting Jacob in his goal of achieving a university place after his A Levels.
Finnlay Decoster-Ryan
(Year 11) Northamptonshire Day Student, joined Potterspury Lodge in September 2015.
Achieved three 3 GCSE’s
Grade 5(Citizenship, English, and Mathematics)
Finnlay joined the school facing significant barriers due to his anxiety, this in turn led to him having difficulties regulating his behaviour. Finnlay also joined the school having been out of education for 8 months which exacerbated his anxieties and set back his communication and interaction skills. While at the school Finnlay was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and had to come to terms with the implications of managing the condition to keep his blood sugars at a controlled level.
Finnlay has been supported to overcome his barriers to learning, management of diabetes and time out of education alongside seeing himself as an individual who can achieve academically and socially through the support of staff. We have seen Finnlay thrive and develop in confidence at the school. Finnlay’s quote was published in the Ofsted report with reference to his view on the opportunities the school has given him.
“One of the beauties of this place is that if you want to do a qualification, you can do it and they will support you towards it. They try to build your work ethic.”
Finnlay has a place to progress into the Sixth Form at Potterspury Lodge School as a Senior Student.
Harry Lyman
(Year 13) Northamptonshire Day Student, Joined Potterspury Lodge in September 2015.
Our first ever student to achieve an AS Grade at Potterspury Lodge School!
Harry joined the school with an exceptionally high degree of anxiety and limited social interaction with adults and students alike. He has difficulties around communicating his worries and self-esteem together with anxiety which at times can be debilitating. Staff and the clinical team have worked hard to establish positive relationships with Harry based on consistency and enabling Harry to develop confidence in his work. Harry’s attendance has been excellent, alongside his flair for Art which is reflected in his AS qualifications, and has been encouraged to blossom through a Level 3 pathway.
Harry will be staying at Potterspury Lodge for a further year as a Senior Student.
Harvey Rogers
(Year 11) Buckinghamshire Day Student, Joined Potterspury Lodge in September 2017.
Achieved a total of 7 GCSE’s
Grade 5 (History, Mathematics, and Media) • Grade 4 (Citizenship and English Language) • Grade 3 (Art) • Grade 2 (Biology) • ASDAN Level 1 in Food
Harvey has overcome many hurdles in his time at Potterspury Lodge where he has a particular flair for art and creativity. Social Interactions, self-confidence, insomnia and anxiety were all key barriers for Harvey upon joining the school. Harvey has worked hard with the clinical team and teachers to overcome his anxieties which included severe anxiety related to exam stress. On one occasion he did not come into school because he thought he had performed so badly during the previous week and that he had “failed”. Three years on and Harvey is a socially confident student in control of his anxiety who is about to embrace on a photography course at college pursuing his gifts and talents in the field with a foundation of seven GCSEs.
