Finding the Right Secondary School in Surrey
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Finding the right secondary school in Surrey Your guide to schools for children with special educational needs and disabilities in Surrey 1 Contents Foreword from Liz Mills, Assistant Director, Page 5 Schools and Learning, Surrey County Council Mainstream schools in Surrey Page 6 Introduction to specialist centres Page 9 and special schools in Surrey Special schools and specialist centres: Page 13 a partnership with parents and carers Glossary of terms Page 14 Surrey’s SEND local offer Page 15 Specialist centres Page 16 NAS Cullum Centres Page 16 Specialist centres for communication Page 18 and interaction needs (COIN) Specialist centres for sensory Page 20 impairment (SI) Special schools Page 22 Schools for learning and additional Page 22 needs (LAN) Schools for communication Page 24 and interaction needs (COIN) Schools for complex social Page 26 communication needs (CSCN) Schools for social, emotional and Page 28 mental health needs (SEMH) Schools for severe learning and Page 30 development difficulties (SLDD) List of specialist centres and special schools Page 32 2 3 Our vision is that children and young people in Surrey are happy, healthy, safe and confident about their future. 4 Foreword All young people have a right to equal learning opportunities, whether in mainstream schools, specialist centres or special schools. We seek to enable every young person in Surrey with special educational needs or disabilities to realise their potential, as we would with any other child or young person. Surrey schools play a vital role in the support available to children and young people from birth to adulthood. Our schools are designed to empower them to achieve their goals through a broad, accessible curriculum aimed at different needs. Every young person is different, of course, and our schools are very aware that young people may not fit neatly within one category of need. They require a mix of support and learning activities and environments, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Putting children first Surrey schools put the needs of the young person first. The support arrangements and personalised learning programmes are specifically designed around them, to give young people with additional needs the very best opportunity to achieve their potential and lead fulfilled and happy lives. Because families know their children best, schools actively encourage parents and carers to be as involved as possible in the life of the school and their young person’s learning programme. I hope you find the information in this booklet useful. If you have any ideas on how it could be improved, we would value your feedback. Please email us at: [email protected] Liz Mills Assistant Director, Schools and Learning Surrey County Council 5 Mainstream schools in Surrey Choosing the right secondary school is one of the biggest decisions affecting a child’s future path in life. These are critical years as a All secondary schools are child moves towards adulthood, expected to provide a range so it is essential that they feel of support for young people secure and comfortable in their with identified additional school environment. It is also needs. You have a right to important to choose a school find a place for your child in a with committed and highly mainstream school, and to know skilled staff to care for them, what extra support the school while providing the right level will provide for your child. of challenge and support to enable them to achieve Of course, the transition their potential. from primary to secondary education needs to be carefully The majority of school aged managed, and the schools young people with special work together with young educational needs or disabilities people and their families to attend a mainstream school in ensure this is achieved. their local community where they get the support they need. Your child does not have to have an assessment for an education, health and care plan (EHCP) to get support from his or her mainstream school. The Government provides funding to schools so that they can provide this level of support from within their core offer. 6 7 8 Introduction to specialist centres and special schools in Surrey Across the county we have a range of special schools and specialist centres which are located within mainstream schools. Specialist centres are more and voluntary, community and Careful attention is given to suited to a smaller group of faith groups, are well placed making sure young people children who benefit from to support students who are receive the necessary help and learning and socialising part looking for work experience support outside the classroom of the time in a mainstream or may want to explore as well as inside. This includes school, but who are unable to apprenticeships, traineeships unstructured periods, such progress to their full potential and other work-related training. as lunchtimes and breaks in without the more personalised the school timetable, as well teaching and learning in small Person-centred approach as participation in organised groups provided in a specialist visits, sports, leisure and centre in a mainstream school. All of our schools use a after school activities. person-centred approach Some young people have that addresses specific needs Parents and carers have such high levels of need and promotes enjoyment of an important role and are that they can only properly learning. This is achieved by encouraged to meet with be met in a special school listening to the views of the teachers and therapists as that focuses only on pupils young person and their family part of their involvement in with special needs. about each student’s interests, their children’s education. motivations, strengths and In common with many of aspirations, and planning their our mainstream schools, our individual targets accordingly. special schools and specialist centres are rated highly by Teams of experienced independent Ofsted inspectors. therapists also work They meet a wide range of alongside our special schools learning needs. In addition to and specialist centres to subjects in the core curriculum conduct speech and language up to Key Stage 4 (GCSE), the assessments and draw up curriculum for students up to programmes to meet individual 19 is structured to help them communication needs. acquire personal, social and Taking the whole person’s vocational skills for later life. needs into account, encourages Schools and specialist centres, young people to be confident, with their links to businesses well adjusted and independent. 9 Introduction to specialist centres and special schools in Surrey (continued) How your child’s needs What follows is an explanation They will also provide will be met of the different types of additional information about specialist schools and special the range of facilities and We want you to have as much centres at secondary level, expertise available at their information as possible before along with descriptions of schools. This could include deciding on your preference/ the needs of the young people the presence of additional request of school. For most who benefit most from the specialist support, extra young people we look first arrangements they make. In curricular activities or the at mainstream schools to setting out this information types of sports and PE cater for your child’s needs we are not attempting to facilities provided. with appropriate support. If steer you towards a particular your child or young person is school or making a judgment Non-maintained in need of special provision about whether one school institutions then one option is a specialist is better than another. centre within a mainstream Sometimes there may not be school. If their needs are In forming your view about an appropriate place available too severe or complex for an appropriate mainstream in a Surrey special school a specialist centre then centre, or specialist school, we or specialist centre that is it may be appropriate to recommend that you gather part of the state-funded consider a special school. as much information as you education system. In such can through visiting school a case, a placement may be To find out more about websites and arranging sought in a non-maintained mainstream schools, it is best follow-up visits to see the or independent (NMI) school. to visit their websites, arrange schools for yourself. Schools Your SEND case worker can visits and speak to their are happy to make such tell you more about NMIs. Special Educational Needs arrangements and will often Co-ordinator (SENCO). host open evenings, visits, interviews and other events This booklet is designed to so parents can get to give a broad view of additional know them better. provision that is available in the special schools and centres we have in Surrey, and what they can offer your child. “ To find out more about mainstream schools visit their websites, arrange visits and speak to their SENCOs” 10 Types of specialist centres in Surrey mainstream schools Specialist centres based in mainstream schools cater for secondary students with the following sorts of needs: • NAS Cullum specialist centres - partnership with National Autistic Society (NAS). • Specialist centres for communication and interaction difficulties (COIN). • Specialist centres for sensory impairment (SI). Types of special schools There are five main categories of special schools in Surrey to cater for secondary students with the following sorts of needs: • Schools for social, emotional and mental health needs (SEMH). • Schools for severe learning and development difficulties (SLDD). • Schools for learning and additional needs (LAN). • Schools for complex social communication needs (CSCN). • Schools for communication and interaction needs (COIN). 11 12 Specialist centres and special schools: a partnership with parents and carers We have tried to simplify and explain the variety of special educational needs and disability provided for, but in doing so we have to use certain terms that are used across the educational and health sectors.