The Lighthouse Way
Lighthouse School exists to support young autistic people to have a successful and bright future. We provide an ambitious holistic education – focusing on the individual needs of the student - that challenges our students to be the best they can be.Our Cornerstones
Lighthouse School supports the whole student – their head, their heart, their body, their family, and their future. To do this, we have four areas of the school – our cornerstones - that work symbiotically to help our students:
The CLEAR Framework
Links and Interests: We recognise that many children are motivated and engaged through their interests. We use these interests as hooks into learning to capture attention, build positive relationships, and increase participation. Shared interests and preferred activities can strengthen social connections and help children feel safe, understood and ready to learn.
We remain mindful of balance. Interests should broaden opportunities for learning rather than narrow them. We avoid over reliance on specific interests and support children to develop flexibility, manage emotional intensity and engage with a wide range of learning experiences.
Environment: We create calm, organised learning environments with predictable routines and sensory experiences. We pay attention to lighting, noise, clutter, movement and transitions to reduce unnecessary stress and support engagement. We provide emotional environments that feel safe and avoid confrontation, pressure and overwhelm. Clear expectations and consistent approaches help children feel secure and ready to learn.
We recognise that sensory needs can have a significant impact on learning and wellbeing. Instead of expecting children to fit into the environment, we adapt the environment to meet their needs. By maintaining a low arousal environment, we help children feel regulated, engaged and able to succeed.
Ambition: We maintain high expectations for all students and always presume competence. We incorporate each student's goals, aspirations and strengths into their learning so that education remains purposeful and meaningful. Through appropriate challenge and extension activities, we encourage students to challenge themselves, develop confidence and achieve their potential.
We promote independence and self-advocacy so that students are equipped to make informed choices and take increasing ownership of their learning. Our curriculum is destination-led and focused on preparation for adulthood. Learning is connected to meaningful next steps and helps students develop the knowledge, skills and experiences needed for future success.
Routines (Structure and Communication): We provide consistent routines and clear structures that help students feel safe, secure and ready to learn. Visual timetables, schedules and cues support understanding and independence, while clear learning journeys and success criteria help students know what is expected. Predictability reduces uncertainty and helps students manage change. When adjustments are needed, we introduce them carefully and recognise that flexibility is easier when strong routines are in place. We also consider executive functioning needs and provide appropriate support to help students plan, organise and complete tasks successfully.
Our communication is clear, consistent and predictable. We use literal language and avoid unnecessary idioms or figures of speech that may create confusion. Declarative language encourages understanding, reduces pressure and supports positive interactions. Communication routines help students navigate transitions and changes throughout the day. We also use a regulated tone and consistent phrasing to reduce anxiety and create a calm learning environment where students can engage with confidence.
Our Structure
Lighthouse School is a secondary school, and although a specialist provision, we largely operate under a secondary model. Students move in groups around the school to lessons taught by specialised and highly-skilled staff. This ensures our staff have the subject and curriculum knowledge required to maximise impact on students.
Our teaching groups are small with approximately 12 students in each group. Groups are based on a range of factors, including expressive and receptive language levels. Even with these small groups, there is often a wider academic level range in our lessons than in a mainstream school as our students have ‘spikey profiles’ (significant strengths in one part of the curriculum and difficulties in another aspect). This requires effective differentiation and scaffolding.
Teaching groups are largely based on communication academic level – although there is some fluidity for individual students. The focus for Key Stage 3 is to develop students’ ‘learning to learn’ skills, re-engage them with education, and identify and address gaps in learning. Students then often begin to work towards qualifications in Key Stage 4. This continues in Key Stage 5 with additional preparation for adulthood and work experience opportunities.
Although lessons are delivered by subject-specialists, a golden thread of holistic learning runs throughout the school. We know that, beyond qualifications, the application and generalising of knowledge and skills will be fundamental to our students’ futures and therefore this is a focus for our provision. Cross-curricular projects and community-based learning feature heavily in our provision to address this. All staff are trained in wellbeing strategies and speech and language techniques to ensure this is integrated across the provision.