RNIB Pears Centre - School
SP2 Admissions Policy
Aims
- To ensure that all young people admitted to the School at Pears Centre can have their individual needs met
- To ensure that all young people admitted to Pears Centre will enjoy their time in the school and achieve
- To ensure that all young people admitted to the School at Pears Centre will be healthy
- To ensure that all young people admitted to the School at Pears Centre will stay safe.
Organisation
Admission criteria:
We support children and young people who have learning difficulties and disabilities and are blind or partially sighted. Additional needs we cater for include:
- Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
- physical disabilities
- communication difficulties
- additional sensory impairment (deaf/blindness)
- additional healthcare needs, such as epilepsy and those with high health needs
- additional behavioural difficulties
Within school, we support children and young people aged 2 to 19. Within our care service, we are able to accommodate children and young people at any age between 0 and 19 years.
Our trustees have granted permission that up to 20% of our roll can be young people with complex needs or high health needs who are not blind or partially sighted.
Application and assessment:
- Placement enquiry form is completed to inform us of needs and a visit is arranged so the parent or carer for advocate/ social worker can meet the education, care and therapies team and have a tour of our facilities.
- If we think we can meet the child's needs based on an initial assessment, a provisional offer is made. A formal request is then required from the home local authority to gain permission to begin a full assessment.
- Parents and carers are given details of key people to contact and other professionals that may be able to offer support.
- Pre-admission assessments of prospective young people are carried out in partnership with parents, carers and families as well as education, social care and health professionals. These aim to ensure that we can fully meet the individual young person's needs and that they are compatible with the needs of other young people we support.
- A full assessment helps us to ensure that we can provide a tailored service for each young person and make sure that any extra support, equipment or specialist help can be provided. It also enables us to provide the local authority with an accurate indication of cost.
- Our team of specialists observe the young person and record their responses during various situations and considered in a variety of environments.
Some of the factors considered are:
- Cognition
- Learning style
- Participation in class activities
- Access to the curriculum
- Specialist equipment
- Specialist support
- Morning and evening routines
- Independence and self help
- Access to leisure activities
- Social interaction
- Relaxation
- Behaviours
- Sleep patterns
- Personal care
- Vision and other senses
- Movement, balance and posture
- Mobility and habilitation
- Diet
- Allergies and medications
- Moving and handling
- Health support
- Physiotherapy and occupational therapy support
- Use of speech
- Non-verbal communication
- Making requests
- Showing likes and dislikes
- Understanding others (receptive communication)
- Effective/ineffective strategies and methods
- Speech and language therapy support.
If the needs of the young person’s can be met based on our full assessment,a formal offer of a place with cost breakdown will then be made to the sponsoring authority.
Once a written request for a place from the local authority has been received, Pears Centre will work with the young person’s current school and other service providers (e.g. respite) to plan and manage the admission/transition process ready for an agreed start date.
Relation to school aims
- To create a positive, safe, caring, environment where every person is valued and respected as an individual.
- To ensure that each person's needs are recognised and each has an equal opportunity, irrespective of colour, ethnic origin, religion, gender or disability to realise his or her potential.
- To encourage pupils to enjoy learning and to develop their capabilities to learn skills for life.
Responsibilities
Head Teacher to ensure criteria.