Abertillery Comprehensi

ve SchoolCALON

Background

Abertillery Comprehensive School is 11-16 mixed comprehensive school in Blaenau Gwent

Deprived catchment area with social and economic problems

740 pupils with a declining roll

33% of pupils on SEN register

32% FSM

62 pupils in a Special Needs Resource base (unit)

Almost universally white working class

Closure of Nantyglo Comprehensive and major building work undertaken by the LA

Band 4 school

Recently made radical curriculum changes and introduced vertical tutoring

CALON

CALON stands for Centre for Additional & On going Needs

Time Out

Time out wasn't working. Pupils were repeat offenders.

Traditional individual booths

We were isolating poorly behaved pupils without addressing their underlying needs

Introduced an element of support and counselling in an attempt to address their needs

The room was schizophrenic - punitive and rehabilitative in the same room was not conducive to making progress.

Remodelled facility

Visited Cantonian High School' s Learning House

Adapted to suit our needs

Meeting of 'core' staff to plan - Deputy Head, SENCO, Support Staff, Counsellor

Piggy backed onto the refurbishment the LA was undertaking - building modification for nothing!

3 Aspects

Punitive - Boxhall Profile taken

Nurture/emotional needs

Academic

Punitive - Restorative Justice

Traditional isolation with member of staff

Computers

Log

Parents interviewed before return to mainstream

Restorative action

Mediation

Nurture

Emotionally needy pupils

Breakfast club

SEAL- Silver SEAL

One to one counselling/group sessions

Drop in facility

Academic Support

Small groups

Individually tailored work eg, COPE, Basic Skills, help with coursework

Several pupils from different year groups - need to be flexible and dynamic!

Return to mainstream when ready

Alternative Curriculum

Work with outside providers to offer interesting and hands on courses that suit individual pupil needs

Gypsy Travellers - Hair and Beauty course

Rotary club - planters in town

Community Engagement

CalonPotential

Neets pupils Aged 11-16

ValrecCommunities First

Family LearningBasic Skills

Family First

Tai Calon

Oasis

School Nurse

Learning support

Breaking Barriers

Wecan

Communities 2.0

Police Liaison

YOT

CSI

Councillor

Eco Group

Emotional needs

CALON

Potential

NEETSDisadvantaged

by poverty

AbertilleryComprehensive

Restorative NurtureAcademic

Working together to tackle Poverty and disadvantagedChildren

EALGypsy TravellersFree school mealsLACSENMAT

Improve Attendance

Prevent NEET’s

Improve Literacy and Numeracy

How it has evolved

Permanent member of staff to over see community involvement

Youth workers attached to each House

Mediation eg, Facebook!

Frees up time from Form Tutors and Heads of House

Impact

Anecdotal - individual pupils

Exclusions reduced – 33% reduction in 1st year (none this September)

Academic –

Emotional -

CALON in practice...

Video