Charity nurtures self-belief in specialist school students

Students and teachers at Melksham House School recently spent the day with an education charity nurturing self-belief and resilience.

I Can & I Am visited the school with a special double-decker bus for two days. A total of 25 students cooked pizza and took part in a workshop focused on equipping them with practical tools that foster personal growth.

Melksham House School is an independent special needs school for students with internalised social, emotional or mental health needs, which opened in September last year.

Assistant headteacher Darren John said, “The buzz across the whole school was truly amazing during I Can & I Am’s visit. Both pupils and staff were energised, engaged and inspired. The team’s sessions were pitched perfectly to meet the individual needs of our students. This includes a range of special educational needs and those experiencing challenges related to emotionally based school avoidance. The activities were exceptionally well planned and delivered.

“What stood out most was the care, connection and sense of safety each member of the I Can & I Am team created for our young people. Every student who stepped onto their bus felt valued and supported. For us, as a new school, that is a huge achievement and fully aligns with our ethos of ‘no barriers, only potential’.”

Chief executive officer of I Can & I Am, Rebecca Burton, said, “It was a very rewarding experience to work with the teachers and incredible young people at Melksham House School. We adapt the sessions as necessary depending on each class and individual and how they are that day and the team knows what is needed almost instinctively.”