The +1 Centre was founded to help re-imagine inclusion for young people with additional needs, proving that with the right environment, embedded in the right culture, every student can flourish in ways that make a difference and matter.

ICHK has always been committed to a fully inclusive vision of education. We believe that every child has the right not just to learn, but to enjoy and be uplifted by learning, in an inspiring, accommodating and caring environment, sensitive to their needs and preferences. Nowhere is this commitment more evident than in the +1 Centre.  It was conceptualised and opened in 2020, and despite the significant challenges the pandemic presented, we forged ahead. Since then it has gone from strength to strength, growing from six students and three staff members, to 13 students and five staff members today.

The Centre provides a uniquely enriching school experience. A team of special educational needs teachers and learning support assistants deliver a modified learning programme which includes elements of ICHK’s award-winning Curriculum X, supplemented by ASDAN courses.

In the Lower School, students follow a modified curriculum, including tailored English, Maths and Science lessons. Gardening projects spark enthusiasm for teamwork and nurturance; the +1 Centre wormery has opened cross-curricular connections in science, sustainability, and history. Students also benefit from our unique Human Technologies and Deep Learning programmes.

In the Upper School, ASDAN programmes provide a skills based, ‘low stakes high interest’ curriculum. There is a strong focus on life skills and preparing to live autonomously through the ASDAN Preparing for Adulthood and Foodwise programmes.

The Centre sits within a quiet area of the campus. It comprises a learning area configured for flexibility and a ‘calm room’, designed by the students themselves. A kitchen and living facilities extend the range of life skills addressed within the programme.

The Centre’s integration into daily life at ICHK is essential to its success. +1 students mix with the rest of the student body in assemblies, and at break and lunch times; an invaluable opportunity to participate in community life in a safe and accepting environment.

The +1 Centre is the culmination of our journey towards delivering the best possible learning experience for students with diverse learning needs, and on opening, our logo was updated to include ‘+1’ in the symbolic identity of our school.  It is the ‘jewel in the crown’ of ICHK, the concrete enactment of our philosophy, and the litmus test of our success.

More information can be found here.