Ripplevale School & College

Ripplevale School, Rochester is an independent day school and college welcoming students with unique learning profiles. We have particular experience in supporting autism, alongside Speech and Language and Occupational Therapy.
 
Our team of qualified therapists ensures that every aspect of your child’s holistic journey is met with the right wrap-around care to encourage and maximise their potential in every way possible.
 
Mirroring a mainstream curriculum whilst providing a ‘homely’ feel, our specialist provision keeps our students’ anxieties to a minimum and allows them enough freedom to enjoy their educational journey right up to the age of 25, where our college provides bespoke learning in many subject areas to give students a natural pathway into employment. 

Lower School

Ripplevale School, Rochester offers a nurturing environment for young learners aged between 6 and 11 years within a well-established, small classroom of no more than ten learners.

Children enjoy coming to Ripplevale School, Rochester to learn and develop friendship making skills. School attendance is consistently good.

“You are the best teachers and friends. I am very, very happy to be at school. Everyone is nice to me.”

Year 4 Student

Staff are vigilant in ensuring children’s health, safety and well-being, and all learners have access to a range of therapies, intervention and class based support which include Occupational Therapy, Speech, Language and Communication Therapists and Emotional Wellbeing support.

The courses provide young people with a greater range of choices in Year 12 within further and higher education. Those young people who continue to need the specialist provision within Trinity are able to stay on to the College provision. 

Upper School

Ripplevale School, Rochester continues to offer a nurturing environment for young learners in Years 7 and 8, recognising the anxieties that transition from Primary can pose.

Within Year 9 young learners enter a Transitional Programme which takes a step by step programme of learning, leading to nationally recognised accreditation in Year 11.

At Year 10 learners make their first choices for study, with a range of one and two year courses within a variety of subject choices, including:

Core Subjects:

• English (iGCSE, ELC)
• NCFE Certificate of English (ELC, L1, L2)
• Functional English (ELC, L1, L2)
• Mathematics (GCSE, ELC)
• NCFE Certificate of Maths (ELC, L1, L2)
• NCFE Functional Mathematics (ELC, L1, L2)
• NCFE Information Technology Qualification (L1, L2)
• NCFE Functional ICT (ELC, L1, L2)
• OCR Science (GCSE, ELC)
• OCR Science in the Workplace (OCR L1, L2)
• OCR Religious Education (OCR ELC)
• NCFE Personal and Social Development (NCFE L1)
• ASDAN Bronze, Silver and Gold Award Cross Curricular Programme
• ASDAN Certificate of Personal Effectiveness (L1, L2)
• ASDAN Wider Key Skills including Improving Own Learning; Problem Solving and Working with Others (L1)
• ASDAN Employability (ELC, L1, L2)
• NCFE Occupational Studies (NCFE L1, L2)
• OCR Physical Education (ELC)

Choice Subjects:

• OCR Food Technology
• OCR Design Technology
• NCFE Catering and Hospitality (L1, L2)
• NCFE Retail Studies (Occupational Studies) (L1, L2)
• OCR Languages (ELC, GCSE)
• Art and Design (Trinity College London, Arts Award ELC, L1, L2)
• OCR Geography (ELC)
• OCR Child Development (ELC)
• Sports Leaders Award (L1, L2)
• OCR Psychology (GCSE)
• History (GCSE, ELC)
• History Project (GCSE)
• OCR iMedia (L1)
• NCFE Business and Administration (ELC, L1, L2)
• NCFE Land Based Studies (Occupational Studies) (L1, L2)
• NCFE Travel and Tourism (Occupational Studies) (L1, L2)
• NCFE Art and Craft Design (L1, L2)
• NCFE Performing Arts (L1, L2)

All learners in Year 10 and above have progressive pathways which identify their current study programmes and their position within that course.

Access to ongoing therapies, intervention and support is identified in the learners personalised learning programmes.

The courses provide young people with a greater range of choices in Year 12 within further and higher education. Those young people who continue to need the specialist provision within Ripplevale School, Rochester are able to stay on to the College. 

College

At our specialist 16 – 25 years provision our young adults have their own personalised study programmes.

Our vision is that every Ripplevale College student will continue to gain confidence to learn for life, and realise their individual aspirations about further education and/or employment.

Our College team is made up of qualified and dedicated Lecturers who have specialised in SEN teaching, and have specialist qualifications in Autism and Dyslexia. They are committed to making the difference by working with learners to overcome barriers and to help them achieve success.

Students within college continue work towards meeting their Educational, Health and Social Care Plan objectives as well as achieving GCSE, Functional Skills, Entry Level, vocational and personal and social development qualifications.

All College students have access to specialist Dyslexia Support, Speech, Language and Communication, Emotional Welling and Occupational Therapy, as required.

Life after College

Many of our learners gain the confidence to move on towards further education provisions, including mainstream, and some of our students have gone on to obtain degrees. Our past learners keep in touch and we have been able to celebrate their various achievements.