Our Local Offer for Special Educational Needs and/or Disability
Our Local Offer for Special Educational Needs and/or Disability
------Click here to return to the front page ------Name of Setting / High Peak School
Type of Setting
(tick all that apply) /
Specific Age range / 9-18
Number of places / 24
Which types of special educational need do you cater for?(IRR) /
Each section provides answers to questions from the Parent/Carer’s Point of View. The questions have been developed using examples from Pathfinder authorities, such as the SE7 Pathfinder Partnership, in conjunction with questions from Cheshire East parent carers.
The requirements for the SEN Information Report have been incorporated into this document, based on the latest draft version of the Special Educational Needs (Information) Regulations (correct as of May 2014). Questions providing information required as part of the Information Report Regulations are shown using the letters IRR (Information Report Regulations).
Questions from the Parent/Carer’s Point of View:
Our Local Offer for Special Educational Needs and/or Disability
------Click here to return to the front page ------Identification
How will you know if my child or young person needs extra help? (IRR)
- Most children who are placed at High Peak School will have a Statement of Special Educational Needs and mainstream educational settings may not have been successful in meeting their individual needs.
- With small class sizes at High Peak School and a care and education team who are experienced in assisting children to meet their potential no matter what their difficulties, we are well-placed to identify quickly any additional help a young person needs and to put suitable arrangements in place.
- The team is supported by Educational Psychologists who will be able to also support a young person for whom additional support would be beneficial.
- All young people will be assessed and an individual Education Plan will be devised to allow staff to work successfully with them around their individual needs.
What should I do if I think my child or young person needs extra help?
(NB this question may not be relevant to specialist providers and they can leave it out)
- High Peak School welcomes input from parents and families. If you are concerned that High Peak School is not meeting your children’s individual needs please do raise these with your child’s key worker, the Head of Education or the Principal.
- The progress of young people will be monitored closely and parents/carers will receive termly reports and an annual review of statement meeting on a yearly basis to discuss the progress of the individual child.
Where can I find the setting/school’s SEND policy and other related documents? (IRR)
- Please provide hyperlink(s) to the setting/school/college’s SEND policy and other relevant documents e.g. assessment policy, dyslexia policy etc. (IRR)
`------Click here to return to the front page ------
Teaching, Learning and Support
How will you teach and support my child or young person with SEND?(IRR)
- The school provides a safe and creative learning environment for children for whom mainstream education has not met their needs. We aim to maximise the opportunities available for all children, and develop bespoke curriculums to assist them progress in ways most appropriate for them.
The aspiration is that young people achieve nationally recognised outcomes suitable for their abilities.
We will provide highly specialised programmes of care and education that will be inclusive, enriching and will meet the individual needs of our young people. Every child will be offered intensive support towards achieving their potential and becoming resilient, socially aware and responsible young people.
Vocational Learning
At High Peak School young people will have multiple opportunities to experience vocational learning alongside the national curriculum.
As well as a beauty and hair salon there are facilities for studying childcare and trades skills. Our students will be able to learn skills which can lead onto work experience or put them on a path to a potential career.
We place a great emphasis on assisting young people access as many opportunities as possible to engage with the local community and we work with local businesses, colleges and other organisations to develop partnerships to enable students to undertake work experience and secure work outside of High Peak.
Students will be encouraged and supported to engage in work that interests them and which gives them the greatest options when eventually moving on from High Peak.
Facilities
Provision for education is of an extremely impressive standard. Lessons take place in small groups (no more than 8 in a class) and are delivered by a fully qualified teacher supported by a teaching assistant.
The learning facilities available include a fully fitted sciencelaboratory, food technology room and drama and dance spaces and two purpose built IT suites. There is a mix of traditional classrooms and environments alongside outstanding facilities for more vocational and practical subjects such as Hair and Beauty, Dance, Child Care studies, Catering and Sports studies.
Young people also have access to acres of outside space and wonderful leisure and recreational facilities including squash courts, fishing lakes, a gym, a dance studio, tennis courts and a 20 metre heated indoor swimming pool and Jacuzzi.
Clinical Support and Interventions
The main objective for the school will be to overcome the disadvantaged start that young people have experienced by providing a safe, happy, nurturing and caring environment. At the heart of High Peak is the range of clinical support and interventions available to our students.
Young people are, according to their own individual needs, able to access a range of supporting therapies and clinical professionals.
Young people with particular difficulties in work or relationships such as mild autistic spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, dyslexia and dyspraxia receive special programmes directed by a Chartered Educational Psychologist. Medical and mental health services are arranged through the local doctors’ practice. Speech and language therapy will also be available through qualified and experienced therapists.
How will the curriculum and learning environment be matched to my child or young person’s needs? (IRR)
We will provide highly specialised programmes of care and education that will be inclusive, enriching and will meet the individual needs of our young people. Every child will be offered intensive support towards achieving their potential and becoming resilient, socially aware and responsible young people.
Vocational Learning
At High Peak School young people will have multiple opportunities to experience vocational learning alongside the national curriculum.
As well as a beauty and hair salonthere are facilities for studying childcare and trades skills. Our students will be able to learn skills which can lead onto work experience or put them on a path to a potential career.
We place a great emphasis on assisting young people access as many opportunities as possible to engage with the local community and we work with local businesses, colleges and other organisations to develop partnerships to enable students to undertake work experience and secure work outside of High Peak.
- Students will be encouraged and supported to engage in work that interests them and which gives them the greatest options when eventually moving on from High Peak.
There is a mix of traditional classroom environments with those more related to vocational and practical learning where skills such as beauty therapy, hairdressing, childcare studies, sports awards and others can be developed.The curriculum includes opportunities to gain formal qualifications such as GSCEs or qualifications from other awarding bodies.
How are the setting, school, or college’s resources allocated and matched to children or young people’s needs?
- High Peak School is an independent school which is a specialist environment for students with SEBD.
- We work closely with local authorities and families to ensure that each child’s individual needs are being met. If our assessment was that a child would benefit from additional support in order to maximise their potential, we would identify these needs and any additional costs and solutions.
- We encourage local authorities to engage families and the young person in the referral process to High Peak School and want all parties to visit to discuss how the young person will be educated and looked after here.
How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child or young person will receive? Who will make the decision and on what basis?(IRR)
- Each child’s needs are considered on an individual basis, and working with parents, local authorities and a range of professionals, a specific education and care plan would be put in place which helps that child maximise their potential. At High Peak School we have access to Educational Psychologists and teaching professionals who will work with children to ensure their well-being.
- We work closely with families where appropriate to ensure they are a key part of the decision making process.
- The Statement of Special Educational Needs or EHCP will outline what type and how much support your child should receive. We will review this and work with all parties to meet the needs of the individual.
How will equipment and facilities to support children and young people with SEND be secured? (IRR)
High Peak School is entirely geared to support young people with SEND and its equipment and facilities have been designed with this in mind. If any specific additional facilities or equipment were required in order to best meet an individual’s own needs, these would be considered on a case by case basis.High Peak School fully complies with access arrangements for all students, visitors and staff.
How will you and I know how my child or young person is doing and how will you help me to support their learning? (IRR)
As High Peak School is a residential school, children are helped to maintain constructive contact with parents, family and other significant people.
Contact arrangements are discussed at the time of the child’s admission and recorded in their Placement Plan. Any restrictions on contact for the protection of the child are made clear. Regular contact by visits, telephone, letters and e-mail are all facilitated where there are no such restrictions.
Guidance is provided for our staff on each child’s individual arrangements and how best to support them with their learning and/or behaviour in school and the home.
How does the setting, school or college consult with and involvechildren and young people with SEND in planning and reviewing their education?(IRR)
Children’s opinions are sought over key decisions likely to affect their daily life and their future and for them to be involved in the planning and review of their education.
The formal opportunities that we have in place for doing so include:
- Daily School Assemblies
- Meetings with Class Teachers
- School Council
- House Meetings
- Children’s / Key Worker Meetings
- Care Council
- Initial and Annual Review Meetings
How does the setting/school/college assess and evaluate the effectiveness and sufficiency of its arrangements and provision for children and young people with SEND?(IRR)
All young people at High Peak School have special educational needs in that they all have learning difficulties which require special educational provision to be made. The needs that have been evident in previous schools have usually been assessed before the pupil arrives at High Peak and are described in the pupils’ Statements, but in practice further assessment on entry is usually required to be able to provide sufficiently precise objectives and programmes to work to.
The initial assessment procedures cover a number of broad areas of need including:
- Social, emotional and behavioural needs
- Academic and cognitive needs
- Health, medical and physical needs
- Other needs e.g. specific difficulties associated with Asperger's Syndrome
Special educational needs that could not previously be met because mainstream schools or family environments could not provide the necessary helpful conditions can now be met because of the particular arrangements in the classrooms and houses and through the attention to detail in High Peak routines and approach to the pupil's difficulties.
There is on-going assessment alongside children and professionals to ensure their needs are being met by High Peak School.
------Click here to return to the front page ------
Keeping Students Safe and Supporting Their Wellbeing
How do you ensure that my child or young person stays safe outside of the classroom?
High Peak School recognises its duty under the Education Act 2002 to make arrangements to ensure that functions are carried out with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and complies with The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) Regulations 2010, as amended by The Education (Independent School Standards) (England) (Amendments) Regulations 2012.
High Peak School follows the guidance laid out in ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (2014) and ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ (2013). We also follow HM Government advice ‘What to do ifyou’re worried a child is being abused’ (2006), the Cumbria Local Safeguarding Children Board’s‘Procedures, Guidance and Protocols’, the Children’s Home Regulations 2001, the Children’sHome (Amendment) Regulations 2011, The Children’s Homes and Looked after Children(Miscellaneous Amendments) (England) Regulations 2013, the National Minimum Standards for Children’s Homes (2011) and Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations Volume 5: Children'sHomes (2011).
We ensure the provision of training for all staff in the prevention of abuse, recognition of abuse, dealing with disclosures or suspicions of abuse and our child protection procedures. Procedural guidance for staff demonstrates the systems required in order to protect children and minimise the risk of abuse whilst the child is living at the school and children’s home.
In order to promote the safety and well-being of young people, High Peak School has identified a number of Designated Persons for Safeguarding, details of which are posted throughout site and communicated to staff, young people, parents/carers (where appropriate).
We have good links with other agencies concerned with Safeguarding.
Preventing bullying
All professional staff are trained in a consistent, active response that is supportive to both bullies and victims. Clear processes are in place that young people will recognise as fair, consistent, non-aggressive and helpful to all parties. They are couched in terms of levels of response to be followed depending on the severity of the bullying. Regular enquiries are made of all young people as to how safe they feel at High Peak School with respect to bullying and ways in which this can be improved. Records are kept of these enquiries and actions taken. Where necessary risk assessments are carried out for young people likely to be in danger from persistent bullying and actions to be taken are recorded and notified to all staff.
What pastoral support is available to support my child or young person’s overall well-being?
All staff at High Peak School are highly trained and have many years of experience of working with children with SEND. In the school day as well as individual form teachers, teachers and teaching support staff, pupils can access a Pastoral leader in school as well as having access to the Head of Education and the Principal.
If there are longer term concerns then High Peak will engage with parents and professionals about what support is needed to protect a child’s well-being. If outside agencies are deemed best then these will be commissioned to provide the correct support.