Determined to Succeed - Award for Most Enterprising Special School

Hyndhead School, Fife

Hyndhead Special School is the educational base for twenty-one young students who have severe and complex needs.  The school’s attitude is ‘can do, will do’ and this is reinforced in every curricular area. Alternative to an Augmentative Communications Systems, switches symbols signing – allowing the pupils to learn to hold conversations, answer questions and offer opinions.  All of this is developing enterprising attitudes and skills at the most fundamental level.

Hyndhead’s key to success is to allow the pupils to be as independent, confident and empowered as possible.  The ‘World of Work’ is different for those more vulnerable of our young citizens.  However with a softening of the definition and the appropriate amount of support work experiences are offered that are both challenging and respectful.  Work shadowing of the school janitor, nurse and office staff is part of the access repertoire offered at Hyndhead.  Other pupils work at the local community centre helping with aspects of catering.  The ‘pièce de resistance’ is the ‘Enterprise Week’, where pupils’ artwork is collected over the year and framed for sale along with tie-dyed t-shirts and painted glassware.  Hyndhead pupils’ career paths are different to their peers, however they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to maximise their opportunities in the big world.  

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