Marland School web site: www.marland.devon.sch.uk email: [email protected]
Executive Principal Keith Bennett
Background Information 2020-21 (v10.03.21 update) Background Marland School opened in 1967 as an independent residential special school before being purchased by Devon County Council in September 1998 and then gaining DCC maintained Co-operative Foundation Trust status in September 2012 as part of the SENtient Trust consisting of all of Devon’s maintained special schools (the first multiple Special School Co-op Trust in the country). This special school *currently operates across 3 separate school sites for students who have Social, Emotional and/or Mental Health (SEMH) needs.
The structure consists of: • Marland Residential School (Peters Marland, Torrington) – Years 4-11 (boys only). • Marland Secondary Day School (Roundswell, Barnstaple) – Years 7-11 (coed. but currently boys only). • Marland Primary Day School (Bideford) – Years 2-7 (coed. but currently boys only). * The school is currently in advanced discussions with Devon Local Authority to further expand our provisions.
All students have an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) identifying SEMH as their primary need, the majority with associated resultant behavioural issues. Many students have additional needs (e.g. ASD, ADHD, OCD, Tourette’s and Moderate or Specific Learning Difficulties / Delays, etc.).
Post 16 destinations for students are predominantly successful for the majority of school leavers (FE / HE, Training and/or Employment). Former students often maintain contact with the school and positively acknowledge and praise the support that it offered them.
In November 2016 the whole school received a joint ‘Integrated’ Education and Residential Care inspection and was judged to be GOOD in all nine categories. This full inspection grade was re-confirmed by an Ofsted Section 8 inspection in January 2019. In addition, the following year’s annual standalone Ofsted Residential Care inspection in February 2020 was also judged to be GOOD in all categories.
Ethos All students are valued as individuals and the ethos of the school is based on meeting the holistic social, emotional and educational needs of each and every student to the very best of our ability. Emotional literacy, intelligence and development are prioritised and ‘Thrive’ principles are embedded across the school.
All students are strongly supported and encouraged to achieve their respective full potential, both academically and vocationally, through undertaking a wide range of external accreditation at KS3/4. These currently include GCSE, BTEC, Functional Skills and a broad range of other academic, vocational and skills based qualifications targeted according to individual ability and need, with the majority of students achieving multiple accreditation by the end of Year 11 (with more able students commencing accreditation via early entry from Year 8/9 onwards where appropriate).
Personalisation and personalised learning are at the core of our everyday working. Our whole school focus is based on: • Maximising the positives and minimising the negatives. • Understanding and addressing the ‘causal factors’ (i.e. social / emotional) to minimise the ‘effects’ (i.e. behavioural outcomes). • Positive relationship building. • Interpersonal skills development.
Marland Weekly Residential School (Yr4 – Yr11) This school site caters for the needs of up to 40 male students from across the whole of Devon County who are residential on a weekly basis (Monday morning through to Friday afternoon). It is situated in a quiet rural location in the hamlet of Peters Marland (next to the church), some 4 miles outside of Torrington and 12 miles Marland Secondary School Marland Residential School Marland Primary School Springfield Court, Brannam Crescent Peters Marland Chanters Road Roundswell, Barnstaple Torrington Bideford EX31 3TD EX38 8QQ EX39 2QN Tel. 01271 335500 Tel. 01805 601324 Tel. 01237 876300
Marland School Background Information 2020-21 (v10.03.21 update) from the stunning North Devon coast. The school has benefited from a considerable degree of refurbishment and rebuilding of our aging buildings in recent years. Our emphasis is on supplying a high-quality environment to strongly encourage and maximise engagement, achievement, attainment and personal development.
Marland Secondary Day School (Yr7 – Yr11) This purpose-built day school opened in January 2012 and is situated on the outskirts of Barnstaple. It is currently commissioned by Devon LA to provide for 36 co-educational students from the surrounding local area, all of whom attend on a daily basis, Monday to Friday. This will be raised to 40 places from April 2021 (in the final stages of formal consultation) and currently only has male students on roll. The school is separate from but located adjacent to the Devon Integrated Children’s Services and the North Devon Wave Academy. This was the first such co-located development nationally and offers considerable scope to develop the way we work with young people across the whole school.
Marland Primary Day School (Yr2* – Yr7) This relatively new provision opened in September 2018 and is situated in Bideford. At present it provides 30- day places for co-educational students aged 6 to 11 years, covering a North Devon catchment area. This will be raised to 42 places from September 2021 for Years 1*-7 (in the final stages of formal consultation) and currently only has male students on roll.
All 3 school sites are well equipped / resourced and we have strong, friendly, supportive and experienced whole school staff teams.
Future Expansion Plans Due to further increasing demand for places, advanced plans are also currently being considered to expand the capacity offered by our two current ‘Day Schools’ through the creation of a third separate site in North Devon. In addition to our Residential School, this would further increase the overall capacity for day student places from 82 to approximately 125.
School Development Planning We are a progressive and forward-thinking school and believe in supplying the right tools to do the job. Over the past few years we have developed our resources to include: • A new purposed designed Secondary Day School opened in Barnstaple in 2012. • A modern purpose designed / constructed Sports Hall at our Residential School in 2015. • A new Primary Day School opened in Bideford in 2018. • A new purposed designed residential accommodation block opened in 2018. • Full refurbishment of the remaining residential facilities in 2018/19. • Partial refurbishment of the residential teaching facilities in 2019. • Creation of a new Art & Design classroom at the Residential School site from September 2020. • Construction of a new Vocational Centre on the residential school site, commencing August 2020 with plans to open in the spring term 2021. • Significant up-to-date IT facilities for both students and staff. • A rolling cycle to keep all IT hardware and software up to date and relevant to modern need. • On site vocational facilities for students to access training in motor vehicle repair, horticulture & land-based studies at our residential site. • A major focus on ‘Personalisation’ to effectively meet each and every individual student’s needs. • Expansion of off-site learning opportunities with a range of providers to support our personalisation ethos. • Plans to create our own offsite ‘Forest School’ facility. • A major ongoing drive to further improve ‘Reading, Literacy & English’ as the most important curricula subject.
We also prioritise developing the person through access to whole school, team specific and individual CPD training opportunities for all staff.
Structure At the Peters Marland (Residential) site there are 8 class groups of male students (six groups chronologically arranged at KS3-4, in addition to two ‘Stage not Age’ nurture groups for Years 4-8).
At the Secondary Day School site there are 6 class groups of male students (nominally coeducational) across Years 7 to 11.
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Marland School Background Information 2020-21 (v10.03.21 update) At the Primary Day School site there are currently 5 class groups of male students (nominally coeducational) across Years 2 to 7. From September 2021 this will increase to 7 class groups across Years 1 to 7.
School Aims • To provide a “fresh start” for students who have been unsuccessful in past educational placements, or who are currently experiencing difficulties. • To provide a safe, structured environment where students can gain confidence to develop their personal competencies and to adopt strategies which will allow them to thrive. • To provide a broad and balanced high-quality personalised curriculum to meet and match individual student need with statutory legislation. • To enable every individual student to: • feel safe, respected and valued. • achieve their full potential in all aspects of their personal development and education. • maximise their achievement through a range of nationally recognised externally accredited courses. • To provide high quality transition opportunities with the emphasis on successful futures and positive inclusion within the mainstream of society. • To provide the highest quality of care and welfare, in a safe, stimulating, fun and nurturing environment.
The Staff Team Across all school sites the quality of education is supported and enhanced by a range of specialist staff. Teachers work in partnership with support staff to act as keyworkers / tutors to a small number of students.
At the Residential School we also have a professional highly trained ‘Residential Care Staff Team’ who work with the students outside of the teaching day. They support the social and emotional needs of the students, offering structured activities and support in unstructured time. They are also the students’ Key Workers and first point of contact with parents.
In addition, to support the school’s commitment to personalisation and personalised learning, a separate team of dedicated PL staff is deployed to enhance the standard curriculum offerings.
Our team of experienced Teaching Assistants support students in their learning both inside and outside the classroom.
The students’ Social, Emotional and Mental Health mean that they can, at times, be highly confrontational, defiant and challenging. All student contact staff receive appropriate Babcock delivered ‘PIPS’ de-escalation and restrictive physical intervention training, with the latter as a last resort only. Students often lack self-esteem, confidence in the learning environment and with adults in general and consistently test acceptable social boundaries. Our expectation of all staff is that they respond to these challenges in a professional, understanding and supportive manner at all times. In return all members of staff will be provided with very good opportunities for professional support and development (both formally & informally), with CPD viewed as a priority.
Marland is a highly supportive establishment for the ‘Right’ person to further develop and hone their skills, experience and career. Please do take the time to call for a chat, arrange a visit and find out for yourself!
We look forward to hearing from you.
Keith Bennett Keith Bennett Executive Principal
Marland School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. An enhanced DBS is required for this post. Marland School is also committed to equality and diversity.
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