Learning Policy and Prospectus

Reviewed June 2015

Our pupils are our greatest assets, and at WilloughbySchool we want them to have the best opportunities to experience success in their lives.

Their learning is the most important part of our work, and we aim to provide all pupils at the school with outstandingopportunities to learn and progress.

This policy document is designed for all members of the Willoughby Community to assist them in understanding what we do to ensure that our pupils are given outstanding opportunities to learn.

It also clearly outlines our ethos –our pupils individualised needs are at the heart of our work ensuring that they achieve and aspire in equal measure during their time at school, whilst also preparing them well for the transition to adult life.

Adam Booker

Head Teacher

Environment

Our environment is a key are in promoting outstanding learning through:

  • Excellent, well maintained buildings and facilities
  • Specialist work areas
  • Cared for and stimulating outside areas
  • Up top date resources
  • A quiet calm atmosphere
  • Classes designed and decorated with only what the children in them need to be stimulated with
  • Respect for the facilities we have
  • Innovative teaching and learning methods
  • An awareness and commitment to reducing energy costs
  • A readiness to put right by themselves or communicate issues about facilities to the appropriate members of the senior team
  • A commitment to the above from everyone that comes to school

Teachers and Teaching

Outstanding teaching is a key factor in promoting outstanding learning, and to this end we:

  • Plan individually for each child’s needs
  • Provide stimulating learning opportunities
  • Assess learners needs regularly and adapt teaching accordingly
  • Manage class teams so that all adults provide outstanding input
  • Challenge each other to maintain high standards of learning through outstanding teaching
  • Undertake further study to develop our teaching skills
  • Work as a team to identify opportunities to develop our teams
  • Communicate with children, and they will communicate with us
  • Get to know and earn the respect of our learners, from trust we can build outstanding opportunities
  • Reflect, evaluate and appraise our teaching – and change and react if required
  • Commit to using new technologies and approaches in order to stretch our comfort zones.
  • Take calculated risks when challenging learners

Teaching Assistants

  • Earn the respect of the pupils, through empathising and respecting their needs and abilities
  • Commit to being part of a team, and working as part of an outstanding team
  • Respect the team ethos, and do what can be done to maintain it; even during difficult times
  • Analyze own strengths and weaknesses, and seek out support to challenge and develop responses
  • Understand policies, procedures and approaches thoroughly, and commit to them
  • Undertake key tasks with pupils with the knowledge that high quality assistance means a high quality learning experiences.

Visiting Professionals

  • Communicate with thelearner, introducing self and explaining what is going to occur between you
  • Arrive at the prescribed time, so that the pupil and class team can prepare for an arrival, and minimise any disruptions that may be caused by a new arrival in the class
  • To communicate with Senior Leaders if there are problems surrounding a child, a class or a work space – but be understanding that our school is a busy and fast moving place and that things do and can change
  • To liaise with parents where prescribed, involving and informing them of you impact on their learner

We pride ourselves on creating the best atmosphere for learning. Each area and part of the school offers something unique to each learner:

Early Years

Our Early Years provision is nationally regarded – Leading Edge Award 2010.

Our safe and well equipped environment allows for safe and rewarding learning both in and out of the classroom. Staff trained in all areas of Early Years manage the group and we cater for pupils with a variety of needs. Our staff have extensive expertise in speech and language, Makaton, PECS, medical need, moving and handling, and autism – as well as a key knowledge in the progress requirements for each individual child. Regular review and discussion is the norm in this highly specialised area and we aim to ensure that pupils fulfil their potential from a great early start - which may result in some pupils moving into different educational settings where appropriate.

Key Stages One and Two (Lower School)

Key Stages one and two are areas where we see pupils develop their individual pathways. Individualisation and placement are the keys to success in these areas and staff have a variety of skills that mean that the area provides for some of the most rewarding experiences in learning that pupils will experience. Clear organisation and great learning environments all support pupil progress. There is a focus on developing communication, social, self-help and physical skills as well as ensuring each child achieves their full potential educationally.

Key Stages Three, Four and Post 16 (Upper School)

Upper School is an area of rich provision. Engaging learning environments, highly trained staff and motivating resources allow for pupils to pass into young adulthood successfully. Care, support, independence and communication are the key aims and in many cases courses are externally accredited.

Autism

Our provision for young people with Autism is extensive. Highly trained staff with a variety of qualifications allow for individual learning environments and specialist individualised programmes that have the young person at heart. Sensory gym opportunities and our new Sensory Integration Suite (the only one in a Lincolnshire school) show that we are constantly striving to try new approaches to assisting young people with Autism.

Profound and multiple learning difficulties / Multi Sensory Impairment

Pupils with profound, multiple and medical needs are very well catered for in school. Staff with external qualifications in MSI / PMLD work within groups as well as liaising with sensory impaired teacher-professionals, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. High level medical training is undertaken throughout the year meaning that staff can manage the health care needs of many high need young people. A curriculum that is highly individualised and based around pupil need is at the heart of working with young people with these level of needs and aspirations. This curriculum has been re-formed after visiting nationally recognised schools, and has been formed with the aid of a National expert in the field.

In one area, a group of young PMLD pupils are taught in a very fluid manner::

because of the complexity of these children’s conditions the majority of teaching is carried out on an individual basis. There are set times for medication and feeding but apart from that the time table is fairly fluid. We have found that these children have times when they are alert and ready to learn and times when they are in pain and need comfort, or have times when they need to rest or sleep. It is not possible to plan this in to a timetable as it varies from day to day according to their health.

Pre-School Links

Our Rainbow provision is a 3 times weekly opportunity for parents of children under 3 to work with our Portage trainied member of staff and get to know other parents and professionals. Our experienced Portage Team are also available to support (in conjunction with other services) children with additional needs in the community setting. For more information please Contact our Portage Coordinator on 01778 425203.

Information and Communication Technology

ICT plays a major role in our school. With networked computers with specific programmes, large stand-alone touch screens, communication aids, interactive whiteboards, switches and two fully equipped sensory rooms we are developing the learning of the young people in our school hand in hand with the latest technology, with ipad use being increasingly developed across the school.

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do in school, and we rigorously monitor all aspects of our provision to ensure standards are as high as they possibly can be. A full safeguarding policy is available on our school website or by contacting the school. Our child protection coordinator is: AMANDA BROOKS

Religious Education and Collective Worship

Religious Education is provided within the framework of the Lincolnshire Religious Education scheme of work and takes place in class work, through collective worship and in the general life of the school where children are encouraged to develop Christian attitudes in their relationships with other children and staff. Opportunities are taken to give children an awareness of other religions and cultures at our assemblies. We have regular visits from a variety of local faith communities at our collective worship. Beliefs are not forced upon children, rather we encourage a reflective and tolerant attitude based upon understanding.

Parents who for any reason, wish to withdraw their child from work involving religious education are invited to contact the Head teacher to discuss the matter.

Physical Education

A healthy lifestyle includes physical activity. Children undertake formal and informal sessions both in and out of school. The curriculum may be a formal National Curriculum related course, or it may be made up of positioning, movement and physiotherapy; it may include sensory integration opportunities or rebound therapy, dependent on needs. Our Pupil Sport Premium has been used for trainers to come into school, for pupils to go tobogganing, sailing, enjoy active play in the community or designated 1:1 time for physical development.

Sex Education

This is included as an integral part of our Personal Social Health and Education programme. Details of the school’s PShE policy including sex education is available upon request. If you wish to discuss this aspect of the school curriculum, please contact your child’s class teacher or the Head teacher.

Special Educational Needs

As a designated special school that caters for a wide range of needs, everything about us is aimed towards making learning accessible and successful. Please see the ‘Local Offer’ section of our website for further details.

Homework and Home – School links policy

Willoughby School is committed to the idea of education as a partnership between parents and the school.

Parents are the first educators of their children and their role in their children’s continuing education in our school is vital.

Teachers at Willoughby School are committed to welcoming parents into school and to sharing information about the curriculum and children’s individual progress

At Willoughby we believe parents have the right to:

A welcome to the school.

Regular, honest, professional and accurate information about their child’s progress.

Ask questions about how we do things at Willoughby.

Express concerns and worries to the class teacher and/or Head teacher.

Receive open and honest information or the promise of delivery of action upon their concerns.

Receive tasks and activities where appropriate that may support the learning and development of their child

We equally believe that parents have the responsibility to:

Support the school.

Reinforce our standard of behaviour and discipline

Behave in a respectful manner, even when challenging situations arise

School Admission

As a special school in Lincolnshire our admissions are governed by the Local Authority Special Needs Services Group who can be contactedvia telephone: 01522 553332

Lincolnshire Special Schools Willoughby School is proud of its links with other special schools in Lincolnshire. This takes the form of sharing resources, ideas, ways of working and supporting each other.

Local Schools

Willoughby School has excellent links locally with the schools and Academies in our town. With some we share curriculum opportunities and some pupils may experience inclusion in activities or learning that cannot be offered here at Willoughby.

School Organisation

The school is presently arranged into eight teaching groups. Most of the classes have more than one year group in them.

At present arrangements are:

Lower School:

Purple –Early Years Group

Lilac – Early Years Group

Orange – Key Stage 1 / 2

Gold - Key Stage 1/ 2

Upper School:

Turquoise - Key Stage 3/ 4

Red - Key Stage 3/ 4

Yellow – Key Stage 3

Academy 1 – 6th Form

Academy 2 - 6th Form

Classes are grouped according the specialist requirements that each pupil demonstrates. These groupings / organisations can change annually due to pupil cohorts and numbers in the school.

The School Day

8:50 – Open

10:30 – Break time

12:00 – 12:30 – Lunchtime - Lower School then break until 1:00 p.m

12:30 – 1:00 – Lunchtime Upper School

3:00 – Dismissal

School Transport

Please contact Lincolnshire County Council Transport services for information about home to school transport and entitlement. 01522 782020.

There is limited car parking on site for visitors, with some designated spaces for parents and or disabled passengers. The school site can be very busy between 8:30 a.m. and 9:15 a.m., and 2:30 p.m. and 3:20 p.m.

Absence from School

If your child is absent from school please inform us as soon as possible. In the absence of any messages we will telephone all absent pupils parents on the morning of their first absence

Family Holidays:

Parents will understand the importance of regular education and it is hoped that requests for absences for holidays will only be made when there is no alternative available.

Late arrival at school:

If you know your child is going to be late for any reason, please inform us in advance if possible

School Meals:Ideal Catering

Our website help to keep you informed of our service and hopefully give you a little insight as to how hard we work not only to improve the health of today's children but also change the way in whichthey see food and the environment around them.

Menus : Due to the unique and bespoke manner in which we build our relationship with our schools, we cannot begin to show all of our current menus on this page. Although we recommend a one week menu cycle with a choice of four main courses, we always cater to the schools requirements and also provide fewer choice menus along with the option offortnightly or termly ordering cycles. If you would like to receive a copy of our menus pleasecontact us.

We have our own in-house design team who ensure that our menus are interesting, colourful and enticing to children, meaning that on occasions such as Christmas, New Year or any other theme day we can change our menu accordingly.

To order meals online - please visitto register and gain access to the secure online ordering system.

Many children have unique dietary needs and staff are adept at managing all of these requirements.

School Uniform:

Pupils are encouraged to wear the school uniform,details of which are available from the school office. At 6th form pupils may wear non uniform clothes provided they preserve dignity and are appropriate.

School Policies

Copies of all school policies are available for parents to see on request. Please also see our website for further information. Please contact the Head teacher if you wish to discuss or read policies currently in place.

All the information contained in this booklet was correct at the time of going print. Some of it is subject to change and any changes will be circulated where necessary.

School term and holiday dates will be circulated when they are available.

The School Buildings and facilities.

Our school was built in 1980. It was extended and refurbished between 2005 and 2007, but it constantly evolves. The building is on ‘one level’ making access suitable for all disabilities and has been sensitively decorated and organized to meet the needs of those young people with a variety of disabilities. There are specially designated rooms for PE, ICT, Sensory Integration, Spa and 4D creative opportunities; as well as small work rooms, a common room and cooking facilities.

4D IMMERSIVE SPACE

Sensory Integration Suite

Sensory Garden

6th Form Common Room