Bradfields School
Staff
Handbook
New Staff Update Copy
December 2011
2011-12
Contents
Page
Introduction to our School 4
Aims and Values 14
Safe Working Practices 17
Child Protection 31
General Information 35
Telephone Extension List 37
Staff & Governor Lists 38
Staffing Structure 42
School Day 43
Staff Meetings 43
Our ‘Learning Tree’ 44
Teaching & Learning 45
Staff Development 50
Performance Management 57
Staff Absence Management 60
Leave of Absence 65
Rarely Cover 73
Guidelines on the use of DVDs & AV Resources 75
School Calendar 2010-11 & 2011-12 76
EVC Dates for 2011-12 77
School Emergency Closure Arrangements 78
Fire Alarm Procedure 79
Staff Welfare & Well-Being 80
Work Life Balance 82
Behaviour Management 84
Update suggestions for next reprint 94
Bradfields School
Headteacher Mr Kim Johnson
Address Churchill Avenue
Chatham
Kent
ME5 0LB
Telephone (01634) 683990
Fax (01634) 683571
Designation Special Education – Complex Learning Needs / ASD
No of Places 235
Age Range 11-19
Bradfields School is an innovative and forward-looking Medway LA school which provides education for students who primarily experience complex learning difficulties and disabilities which may include speech, language, emotional, behavioural, sensory, physical or autistic spectrum secondary disabilities.
The school includes a split site 11-14 Lower School and 14-19 Upper School secondary day special school on one campus. It delivers the full National Curriculum and Externally Accredited Qualifications via subject specialist teachers, experienced in working with students with special educational needs. The curriculum is planned, delivered and assessed at a pace and level appropriate to individual need.
In addition to the range of SEN detailed above, there is also a cohort of students who are borderline SLD in each Key Stage. They are a discreet group of students and follow an adapted curriculum alongside their peers. As well, there are students who are high functioning in some areas of the curriculum and therefore have the opportunity to access Greenacre School for GCSE Courses.
The school has an overall staff : student ratio of 1:10 which ensures that teaching groups are smaller in size. As a result staff are able to deliver a curriculum that includes developing basic access skills, subject specific knowledge/skills, an enquiring mind, independence, positive relationships, self-esteem, confidence and the social/emotional skills to prepare students for both successful participation in their community and access to further education and/or the workplace.
The school prides itself in the quality of pastoral care and support available, which is key to our philosophy that every child matters. A particular strength of the school is the extremely good working partnership between staff, students, parents/carers and the various support agencies. The quality of relationships and trust between staff and students is central to our aim that the provision is supportive, safe, stimulating, challenging and individually targeted to ensure that all students achieve high educational standards relative to their ability.
The school has a good and extensive range of teaching and learning resources that include: tutor bases and subject classrooms; group meeting and recreational rooms; specialist art, design technology, food technology, music, woodland studies, science and information technology rooms ; a drama studio ; a full size gymnasium ; garden, woodland and horticulture areas ; hard court playground ; and, playing fields. All of which are accessible to those with a physical disability.
The school has a commitment to continually developing and upgrading its teaching and learning resources. Recent improvements have been : a new entrance and reception area, new classrooms for KS3 ASD Provision and KS5 ASD integration ; Year 7 & Programme 1 in the main school buildings ; a Counselling & Psychodynamic Therapy room ; a new ICT suite ; a new Music room ; a new Dance Studio ; a new Food Technology room ; and in ICT generally with all classrooms being established with a number of computers with Internet and Intranet access and a high percentage of classrooms being fitted with interactive whiteboards.
In addition, from July 2011 it has also included moving to one campus site and the acquisition of a former primary school building and grounds. This followed the closure of our former FEC Provision in Gillingham and its transfer to the main campus.
From 2012 the Lower School will also be the site for the development of more complex ASD Provision from 2012 Key Stage 1-3 ; with additional changes on the Upper School site for similar KS4 & 5 students. The completed work will actually join the 2 sites together.
See the campus plan on the next page …………………..
The school is split into zones for the students and staff to be able to know where they are based for tutor sessions and where the classrooms are :
KS5 [Years 12-14]
Green Zone
Upper School
KS4 [Years 10-11]
Red Zone
KS3 [Years 7-9]
Yellow Zone Lower School
Specialist ASD
Complex Currently Upper School and subject to further
Blue Zone development at Lower School
Awards and Achievements
The school has been awarded the following :
1. Full International Award in July 2011 ;
2. Bronze Award – How Green is your School Scheme in May 2011 ;
3. Links Mark (Languages) Award in December 2010 ;
4. SSAT : CLDD Research School status in September 2010 ;
5. NCSL Leadership Training School in June 2010 ;
6. Full FMSiS Accreditation in June 2009 ;
7. Arts Mark - Silver in May 2009 ;
8. Intermediate International Scheme Award in March 2009 ;
9. Disability Employment Mark in March 2009 ;
10. Gold Award in the Forestry Commission's Green Tree Schools Award Scheme in February 2009 ;
11. CPD Quality Mark - Gold Standard in January 2009;
12. Inclusive Schools Quality Mark in December 2008 ;
13. FMSiS 'Light Touch' accreditation in Dec 2008 ;
14. Secondary Basic Skills Mark 3 in November 2008 ;
15. GTP Accredited Centre in September 2008 ;
16. Training Status for Masters Degree in Social Work Course in September 2008 ;
17. Extended School Services status in June 2007 ;
18. Foundation International Scheme Award in August 2007 ;
19. Secondary Basic Skills Mark in December 2006 ;
20. Healthy School Status in Sept 2005.
These Awards and achievements indicate the emphasis that the school has wholeheartedly put into school improvement and the pursuit of excellence. The process of aspiring to such high standards and the outcomes achieved have then been validated by the external assessment of these bodies. In short, we have worked hard to raise standards and the awards have validated the school improvement process and culture of seeking excellence in all we do.
Since 2007 Bradfields School has had 2 Young Commissioner representatives on the Medway Youth Parliament. These students are instrumental in raising the profile of young people with disabilities.
Since 2008, Medway Youth Parliament has celebrated the efforts and achievements of young people from across Medway at the Try Angle Awards Ceremony. Bradfields School continually has nominations in the nine categories. This is seen as evidence of the quality of personal development and community engagement achieved by students at Bradfields.
Academic Curriculum
Bradfields School is aspirational and ambitious for all its students. They all have the chance, as appropriate, to access and be successful in accredited courses, including ASDAN awards, Entry Level, GCSE & Diploma.
The following subjects are on offer in the 2011-12 KS4 Curriculum : Entry Level – English, Maths, Science, ICT, PE, PSHCE, Music, Drama, RS, French, History, Geography, Food Technology, Design Technology [Resistant Materials], Design Technology (Electronics), Land Studies, Art & Design and Child Development ; GCSE - Maths, RS, Design Technology [Resistant Materials], Geography and General Studies ; ICT OCR National ; ICT Diploma ; Arts Award Bronze, Arts Award Silver ; Sports Leaders Level 1, BTEC Art and Design and BTEC Construction.
The following subjects are on offer in the 2011-12 KS5 Curriculum : Entry Level – Adult Literacy, Adult Numeracy, Work Place Hazard Awareness, Music, Photography, French & Work Related Learning ; Level 1 & 2 - Certificate in Adult Literacy & Healthy Living (Eating & Exercise) ; ICT OCR National ; AQA – Functional Skills, PSHCE, Forestry, Science & Textiles ; Sports Leaders Level 1 ; BTEC Art & Design; BTEC Hospitality, BTEC Construction, GCSE Religious Studies ; ICT Diploma ; Arts Award Bronze & Silver ; Ascentis Work Experience & Gardening.
The curriculum delivered at Bradfields is similar to that of any secondary school with the exception that class groups are smaller (9 to 12 in core subjects, and 12 to 15 in foundation subjects) and the curriculum is differentiated to meet the particular and special needs of the students. In addition the PSHCE & Citizenship Course includes developing social and emotional skills (SEALS – Social Emotional Aspects of Learning & EI – Emotional Intelligence) and independent learning and living skills with opportunities for practice in a real life setting, through Work Related Learning and placements.
In addition there is significant community engagement for students in : horticulture (KS4) and sport and recreational club links (KS5). Some subjects are offered as 14-19 options at examination level.
The emphasis throughout the whole curriculum coverage from KS3 to KS5 is to achieve the outcomes of the ECM Agenda and successfully prepare all students for independent living, local community engagement, continued learning, access to recreational opportunity and work place employment.
It is clear that as a school we have not only worked hard to increase the number of accreditation opportunities to our students, but we have also increased the success rate. Student pass grades in our school have increased from 200 in 2006 to 677 in 2010. Clearly a further significant achievement !
Results 2006-11 :
KS4 / 2006 / 2007 / 2008 / 2009 / 2010 / 2011GCSE / 11 / 18 / 12 / 61 / 35 / 33
Entry Level / 130 / 217 / 249 / 224 / 261 / 358
Other / - / - / 40 / 39 / 76 / 100
Total / 141 / 235 / 301 / 324 / 372 / 491
KS5 / 2006 / 2007 / 2008 / 2009 / 2010 / 2011
GCSE / - / - / - / - / 86 / 52
Entry Level / 54 / 67 / 53 / 131 / 114 / 67
Other / 5 / 3 / 80 / 39 / 105 / 222
Total / 59 / 70 / 133 / 170 / 305 / 341
All Results / 2006 / 2007 / 2008 / 2009 / 2010 / 2011
GCSE / 11 / 18 / 12 / 61 / 121 / 85
Entry Level / 184 / 284 / 302 / 355 / 375 / 425
Other / 5 / 3 / 120 / 78 / 181 / 322
Total / 200 / 305 / 434 / 594 / 677 / 832
As a result of the 2007-10 successes referred to, our Contextual Value Added (CVA) Scores for 2007 & 2009 were the highest of all Secondary (Mainstream & Special) Schools in Medway.
This CVA figure also put us in the top 25% of all Secondary Schools (Mainstream & Special) in England.
The data from the Department for Children, Schools And Families (DCSF) Secondary School achievement and attainment tables for 2007- shows :
Results / CVA Measure2007 Medway Secondary School KS2-4 average / 1006,4
2007 Bradfields KS2-4 score / 1036,4
2008 Medway Secondary School KS2-4 average / 1005.7
2008 Bradfields KS2-4 score / 1034.7
2009 Medway Secondary School KS2-4 average / tbc
2009 Bradfields KS2-4 score / 1053.9
2010 Medway Secondary School KS2-4 average / tbc
2010 Bradfields KS2-4 score / 1049,8
The Average points score in 110.7 (2010) ; 122.9 (2009) ; 83 (2008) ; 85,3 (2007) and 61,6 (2006) for a Y11 student [Note : the inclusion of two Y11 students with Asperger’s Syndrome (high functioning ASD), who achieved 28 GCSEs, in the 2009 figures clearly impacts on the statistical analysis. If they are removed then the trend is an ‘in year’ rise from 2009-10. The same fact applies to our CVA score.] ;
Ofsted, Local Authority & SIP Judgments
1. The school's most recent Ofsted report [June 2009] stated :
‘Bradfields is a good school. It has many outstanding features …. The school has developed outstanding partnerships with others including businesses and other services. …. Good leadership and management set an excellent sense of direction
and aspire to be at the cutting edge of developments …. In the whole school there is outstanding care, guidance and support .… Procedures support pupils’ learning and care very well …. Pupils’ personal development and well-being are outstanding …. A major contribution to pupils’ excellent development is the outstanding curriculum with its very strong emphasis on social and personal development and independence …. The good leadership and management have outstanding aspects .... there is an excellent sense of direction .... this drives the school’s forward momentum and is focused firmly on achievement.’
2. The School Improvement Partner [Summer 2009] report stated :
‘The recent inspection judged that the school’s overall effectiveness is good. While the school is to be congratulated, this judgement is based on a ‘snapshot inspection’ the methodology of which does not allow for sufficient recognition of the journey made by the school since 2006. The improvements made since that time are extensive; teaching and the curriculum are much better and more consistently effective, the academic guidance for pupils now matches that for their personal care and is now outstanding, leadership at middle level is more consistently effective and well-placed to improve further. The outstanding leadership of the Headteacher and Senior Assistant Head has been the driving force; together they have rigorously and realistically challenged and supported all staff to improve. The overall effectiveness of the school is on the cusp of outstanding and realisation of this category is inevitable. Staff have bought into this culture and the ambition to achieve excellence is now very real. The capacity of the school to achieve this ambition is outstanding.’