School Prospectus
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School Prospectus Independent residential school for pupils aged 8-17 with social, emotional and mental health difficulties Headteacher: Ollie Sharp 15-17 Somerby Road, Knossington, Leicestershire, LE15 8LY Tel: 01664 454264 Fax: 01664 454234 Email: [email protected] Website: www.thegrangetherapeuticschool.co.uk Contents INTRODUCTION 5 Communication Care Therapy Outreach Education Contacting the school 9 Proud to be part of the Acorn Group STATEMENT OF PURPOSE 10 Complaints procedure Pupil numbers Admission criteria Admissions process Family liaison Uniform THERAPY AT THE GRANGE 13 Mission statement Team composition Referrals Therapy sessions Assessment Evaluation of potential pupils MANAGEMENT OF BEHAVIOUR 16 Appropriate behaviour Rewards Sanctions 2 Positive handling Exclusions Bullying and harassment Racism and sexism RESIDENTIAL CARE AT THE GRANGE 18 SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS 20 SEN policy and practice Definition of Special Educational Needs (SEN) OBJECTIVES 21 Inclusion Early identification Raising standards Partnership SEN Policy in action SEN Policy and practice Training, advice and support Reviewing and updating SEN policy CURRICULUM 25 National Curriculum Nurture Curriculum Key Stage 2 Curriculum Key Stage 3 Curriculum Key Stage 4 Curriculum College links and vocational education Homework External examination opportunities 3 OTHER CURRICULUM OPPORTUNITIES 28 Assemblies and Religious Education Sex and Relationships Education Parental consent Drug Education policy Careers education and guidance Work experience The Curriculum Enrichment Program REVIEWS AND REPORTS 30 Annual Reviews Reports Academic Results 2013 CHILD PROTECTION 35 SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT 35 What is Safeguarding? STATEMENT OF INTENT 35 Monitoring Health and Safety STAFF QUALIFICATIONS 38 Care staff Education staff Therapy staff 4 INTRODUCTION Welcome to The Grange Therapeutic School. This prospectus provides you with general information but if you require additional details you can telephone the Main School office on 01664 454264, email us at [email protected] or visit our website www.thegrangetherapeuticschool.co.uk. If you would like to visit us you would be more than welcome – please contact us to make an appointment. We are a small school dedicated to working closely with parents/carers and Local Authorities to provide for the individual needs of our pupils. The Grange Therapeutic School is an independent special school for young people who have an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) for social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Young people are referred from Local Authorities throughout the UK. We have a mix of day and boarding pupils of primary and secondary ages. The Grange is a small school that can accommodate up to 85 pupils. Everyone knows each other. Relationships between staff and pupils are based on a sensitive understanding of the needs of each young person and our aim is to achieve a family atmosphere where they feel cared for and safe. The school is situated in the beautiful village of Knossington in Leicestershire and is well placed for access from the A1 to the east and the M1 to the west. Pupils from Local Authorities from all areas of the country attend the school. We offer 38 weeks per year boarding provision. The Local Authorities provide taxi transportation for our pupils; however, one of our aims is to prepare the pupils for later life by having older pupils eventually travel to and from school independently. 5 Our new Lower School building The school is placed in a large attractive house in beautiful landscaped grounds and has two residential houses which span the year groups, both in the Knossington village. At The Grange we are committed to providing bespoke education, residential care and therapy. The school is characterised by high expectations, quality teaching and the highest standards of physical and emotional care. “Partnership work with parents and external professionals is a particular strength of this residential school.” Residential Care Ofsted, January 2016 Communication Communication with parents/carers at The Grange is based on strong relationships between school, staff and home environments. Form tutors are the first point of contact with home for news about the school day. Care teams ensure parents and carers are kept up-to-date with the social and emotional development of pupils outside the school day. All groups of staff communicate regularly with each other to provide an effective team for all round support for our young people. Education at The Grange offers a challenging, broad and balanced curriculum. Experiences and opportunities encourage the most reluctant learners to engage in education, with timetables to meet individual needs. Classes are small groups with high staff-to-pupil ratios including Teaching Assistants to support learning in the classroom. Care Young people live at The Grange in high quality residential houses in a family environment. Pupils board weekly during a 38 week school year. House teams ensure a wide variety of activities are on offer after school has finished. 6 Therapy The therapy team works closely with the pastoral, education and care teams to support students. It consists of 5 therapists whose disciplines and areas of expertise is designed to meet the needs of the young people in our care. The team also advise and guide staff through case conferences and training. Outreach Outreach education from The Grange offers additional individualised packages off site for pupils who are referred to us as non-attenders. We organise programmes to develop confidence and self- esteem for young people from neighbouring Local Authorities. We have an excellent record in preparing pupils for reintegration into full time education at school and college. “The Outreach programme is successful…and keeps disaffected pupils in education. The Outreach team work closely with pupils and their families to develop a set of weekly learning activities which have a clear purpose to them.” Ofsted, December 2015 Education The Grange Therapeutic School has a Lower School which caters for boys and girls from Year 4 to 7 and an Upper School which runs from Year 8 to 12, although the vast majority of students leave after Year 11. In the Lower School nurture groups support boys with particular needs. In the Upper School a separate group is run along primary school lines to support more vulnerable pupils. Each young person belongs to a form group and his form tutor is the point of contact for parents/carers. “Staff demonstrate a passion to support pupils to achieve their personal best.” Ofsted, December 2015 A class lesson at Lower School 7 A focus on the key skills of English, Maths, Science and ICT lies at the heart of the school week for all year groups. Core subjects are taught in the morning when our pupils are more focussed and their concentration is high. The school has a strong varied curriculum including activities designed to build the pupils skills, self confidence and give them practical vocational qualifications. These include motor vehicle, animal care, hair and beauty, construction, art, music, cycling, PE, Art and Design, fishing, outdoor pursuits, horticulture and horse riding. All of these curriculum opportunities carry their own accreditation and certification. Recently the school has started offering the Forest Schools programme and Duke of Edinburgh awards, both of which are very popular with pupils. These courses help the pupils prepare for adult life. Horticulture at The Grange Skilled, professional and specialist teaching staff make up the education team at The Grange. SEAL (social and emotional aspects of learning) concepts underpin education at the school. Pupils are encouraged to stay on target with learning through a combination of appropriately differentiated work, achievable target setting and constant feedback of results. Pastoral staff encourage pupils to develop self-management and learning skills. A credit reward system sets targets, monitors progress and encourages good behaviour. Measures of success at The Grange ensure recognition when young people reach their learning targets. School assemblies regularly celebrate personal achievements large and small, and individual mentors support young people to review and maintain their progress. Accredited qualifications reward success throughout the curriculum. Experiences and opportunities are built into learning at The Grange. All pupils have the opportunity to engage in residential trips which provide stimulating challenges and the opportunities to develop socially and emotionally. We aim to nurture our pupils into becoming well-rounded young people who will be able to thrive when they leave school. “Staff have a very clear understanding of their safeguarding responsibilities, including whistle blowing, should they have concerns about another professional’s care practice.” Residential Care Ofsted, January 2016 8 Contacting the school If you wish to speak directly to a member of the Senior Leadership Team for more information please call the main office number on 01664 454264 and ask to speak to Ollie Sharp (Headteacher). You may request copies of the school policies relating to bullying, child protection, Health and Safety, the promotion of good behaviour and sanctions adopted in the event of pupils misbehaving, complaint procedures and the number of complaints. You can also request information on the number of staff employed at the school and their qualifications by contacting the school. Alternatively,