At Simon de Senlis, we are passionate about learning.Through our distinct approach to learning, fuelled by inspiration, high expectations and innovation, we are building a community of curious, industrious and agile learners who have a flair for technology, sport and the

arts and make a positive ‘dent in the universe’.

CuriousWe are driven by the usual insatiable curiosity of

the scientist, and our work is a delightful game.

Murray Gell-Mann - Physicist

Powerful learning is rooted in genuine curiosity. Our

curriculum will intrigue, excite and inspire learners to embrace

their natural inquisitiveness. Our teaching will encourage and

equip learners to observe, question and think deeply about

the world around them.

These are the sort of things that push you on in

music - the curiosity, a passion for new ideas.

Elvis Costello - Musician

IndustriousPeople think I must have been so talented at an early

age, but I don't know - was it talent or hard work?

Who knows?

Monica Seles - Tennis Player

Successful people are industrious. All our learners will be

empowered with healthy and effective working habits to

develop an independence, resilience and resourcefulness

that will serve them well in an increasingly competitive and

ever-changing world. Children will be encouraged to enjoy

the challenges they seek out and are set, to understand

failure as a crucial part of the learning process, and to reflect

on and celebrate the fruits of hard work.A dream doesn't

become reality through magic; it takes sweat,

determination and hard work.Colin Powell - General

AgileWe are currently preparing students for jobs that don’t yet

exist, using technologies that have not been invented, in

order to solve problems we don’t even know are problems

yet.

Karl Fisch - Teacher

The world is changing. The future is radically uncertain. The agile,

adaptable and resilient will thrive in these conditions. Our learners

will develop the agility to embrace change through authentic

opportunities to apply and adapt their existing skills, knowledge

and understanding to new learning situations and real-world

problems.

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into

it, move with it, and join the dance. Alan Watts - Philosopher

Making a positive dent...Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all

the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times

you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.

John Wesley - Theologist & Evangalist

At the heart of our learners’ attitudes is a moral compass which

guides ethical, principled decision making.  Teaching this mindset,

alongside ambition and entrepreneurship, will motivate and equip

children to be world-changers.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by

the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.

So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.

Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream.

Discover.

Mark Twain - Author

We do this through an approach to learningbuilt on...

1.Inspiration2.High Expectations3.Innovation4.Community

Inspiration

At Simon de Senlis we aim to inspire a love of

learning and this is reflected in all that we do.

From curriculum design to our physical and virtual

learning environments; from questioning styles to

learning resources. Honing an inspirational climate

for learners to broaden their own learning horizons

and to inspire others to do the same is

foundational to our thinking and decision-making.

High Expectations

We expect great things of people at Simon de Senlis

and are relentless in encouraging our learners to

believe that they can achieve beyond their own

expectations. Our engaging and uncluttered

curriculum, coupled with an emphasis on providing

quality feedback for improvement, serves to raise the

aspirations of the whole community. We have high

expectations of ourselves and each other; if we

commit to something, it should be achieved with

nothing less than excellence.

Innovation

Creativity and innovation unlock the potential for

positive change. Demystifying and explicitly

teaching creative and innovative processes,

technologies and mindsets, will empower learners

with the capability and confidence to negotiate

independent and intelligent ways of tackling new

and existing problems.

Community

Simon de Senlis is a learning community. Children and

adults embrace the challenge and joy of lifelong

learning, supporting each other to maximise individual

and collective potential. Teachers, children and

parents work together in a positive climate where

mistakes are embraced as opportunities for learning.

At Simon de Senlis, we recognise the transformational effect that technology has on the world and embrace the

use of technology where it accelerates our journey in developing young people who are curious, industrious and

agile learners and are well placed to make a dent in the universe. 

Vision for Technology 1

Whilst there are many different elements of school life in which technology is integrated, it is the direct effect on teaching where we pay most attention as this is the place where the potential 'wins' of

better engagement, communication and collaboration lie.

Whilst there is no technology which, itself, will improve teaching, we know that carefully selected technology in the hands of skilled

practitioners can make learning more effective and that a teacher or school in the 21st century cannot pretend to be accomplished or

successful unless they are adept at giving children wide opportunities to learn through, and about, technology. 

Our approach around the use of technology within learning can be separated into the following three areas: 

1.Learning about technology and become a skilled user through the computing curriculum 

2.Staying safe online and healthy use of technology 

3.Using technology to Make Learning Better  

Vision for Technology 2

Using Technology to Make Learning Better 

At Simon de Senlis, we understand  that technology has the power to transform learning and make learning better through better engagement, motivation, collaboration and feedback to learners. We want our children to become digitally fluent across a range of technologies, subjects and contexts.  We aim to develop learners who are adept and confident with technology and enhance the learning through the empowerment to: 

1.discover, capture and curate through technology, creating their own record of the 'immersion' phase of learning. 

2. prototype learning through different media (text, video, art) to make thinking visible and to receive feedback to make outcomes even better. 

3.access a greater range of subject 'experts' (both internal and external to the school), as well as to share their own expertise as this is developed. 

4.reflect upon their own learning, showcase their achievements effectively, and identify next steps for future improvement.  

Our use of technology is based around a focus on a handful of carefully selected applications and practices which we are confident will impact positively on learning, rather than a rush to adopt lots of different new ideas and unproven practices.

“Any teacher that can be replaced with a computer, deserves to be.” – David Thornburg

Vision for Technology

Learning EnvironmentsAt Simon de Senlis, we are inspired by the Reggio Emilio belief that that the learning environment is the third teacher.

We believe passionately that the learning environment plays a crucial role in enabling high quality learning. To be happy, we need to have bright, welcoming spaces that promote community; to be creative, children need clean and collaborative spaces to get messy, explore and generate ideas; to achieve mastery, children need quiet, individual spaces to consolidate, apply and reflect.

At Simon de Senlis, our learning environments are:

• Decluttered

• Flexible and Functional

• Designed to Make Learning Visible