PEN-Y-CWM SCHOOL


POLICY DOCUMENT

FOR ADMISSIONS

Headteacher: Mrs D Brill-Williams

Assistant Head: Mrs C Buck

Assistant Head: Miss S Blackmore

Tel: 01495 357755

Email:

Pen-y-Cwm School Admission Arrangements Policy

Introduction

Pen-y-Cwm School is a day Special school maintained by Blaenau Gwent County Council which caters for children and young people with severe profound and complex learning difficulties in the age range 3 to 19 years. The school is organised into four key stages based on the pupils age and a 16 to 19 unit. There is a warm welcome and a friendly and caring atmosphere at Pen-y-Cwm . Everyone is valued and encouraged to achieve their potential in all areas of development.

General Principles

The legislation that impacts on Admission to Pen-y-Cwm School;

  • Race relations Act

The race Relations Act 1976 makes it unlawful for admission authorities to discriminate against applicants on the basis of race, colour, nationality or national or ethnic origin.

  • Human Rights Act

The Human Rights Act 1998 confers a right not to be denied an education.

  • Disability Discrimination Act

The Special Educational Needs and Disability Discrimination Act 2001 brings all aspects of education within the ambit of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Since September 2002 admission authorities have been under a new duty not to discriminate against disabled pupils and prospective pupils in their access to education.

  • Sex Discrimination Act 1975

Under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, admission authorities must not discriminate between boys and girls in the way they admit them to a school, except where the school in question is a single sex school.

Who is the school admission authority?

The LEA is the school's admission authority. The Governing body has a duty to implement the LEA's decision on individual applications and to act in accordance with the LEA admission arrangements.

The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 and the Code of Practice outline the law relating to School Admissions

Blaenau Gwent Local Authority Responsibility Admissions Decisions

At all stages in the admissions process, all concerned must be aware that Blaenau Gwent Local Authority (LA) is responsible for admissions decisions regarding placement at Pen-y-cwm Special School. Decisions about placement are made by the ALN (Additional Learning Needs) Panel. When another LA is involved, for example where a child is resident outside Blaenau Gwent, staff and families need to be made aware that placement at Pen-y-cwm Special School is subject to agreement between both LAs.

Pupils will spend most of their time in Pen-y-cwm Special School, but would be included in mainstream lessons/activities and would be given access to mainstream facilities as much as possible depending on their individual needs.

Pen-y-cwm Special School is for pupils who, because of their severe, profound and multiple additional complex learning needs:

  • Have significant difficulty accessing the National Curriculum.
  • Have impaired social interaction, communication or a significantly restricted repertoire of activities and interests.
  • Have medical or physical problems which may be contributing to the pupil’s difficulties.
  • Require structured support to develop more age-appropriate social, behavioural and independence skills.

DFES define PMLD in the following terms:

Children with profound and multiple learning difficulties have complex learning needs. In addition to very severe learning difficulties, the children will have other significant difficulties, such as physical disabilities, sensory impairment or a severe medical condition. They require a high level of adult support, for their personal care as well as for their learning needs. They are likely to need sensory stimulation and a curriculum that is broken down into very small steps. Some children with profound and multiple learning difficulties communicate by gesture, eye pointing or symbols; others communicate by using very simple language.

Aim

Pen-y-cwm Special School aims to help pupils progress to a level of academic and social functioning that enables them to live and learn through individualised personal learning programmes supported by multi-professional advice.

Pen-y-cwm Special School provision is available for pupils where the LA and parents agree that they would make significant gains in the areas of:

  • Learning skills
  • Personal and social skills
  • Social and behavioural skills
  • Self-worth and confidence
  • Independence
  • Life and vocational skills.

Entrance Criteria:

To access a place at Pen-y-cwm Special School there must be a clear description of the pupil’s ALN.

  1. The pupil must have clearly identified severe, profound and complex learning difficulties and a Statement of Special Educational Needs.
  2. Evidence that pupils have experienced difficulties making progress in a mainstream or resourced setting, despite appropriate support and intervention.
  3. Evidence to demonstrate a need for pupils to:
  • Work in a calm, non-distracting work space with a clear structure
  • Access to specialist support and approaches to address all areas of need and learning with individualised teaching, based on multi-sensory approaches
  • Access a high level of dedicated social and emotional support.

Exit Criteria from Pen-y-cwm to a Resource Base or Mainstream Placement:

Exit from Pen-y-cwm Special School will be considered if:

  • The pupil is able to access a resourced placement or mainstream placement for most of the day, with support as required.
  • The pupil is able to participate in most whole school and Resource Base/mainstream classroom activities, planned by their Resource Base teacher/mainstream class teacher.
  • The pupil has transition IEP targets, agreed by home and school.
  • The pupil has met transition IEP targets successfully, over a period of two consecutive terms.
  • A Transition Plan has been agreed with parents, class teacher, EP and ALNCO, and exit finalised in an Annual Review, following the completion of transition IEP targets.

Allocations

The ALN Panel is responsible for allocating places at Pen-y-cwm Special School. The ALN Panel comprises representatives from the Inclusion Team, School Improvement Service, EPS and Head teachers. Other professionals will also be present as required by individual cases.

Policy Review

The Policy statement will be reviewed in line with the programme of monitoring displayed in the School Development Plan.

This policy has been agreed by the Governing Body.

Headteacher.. Date.

Chair of Governors Date .