Sheridan School Local Offer

1. What does your service do? (USP)

Sheridan School is a specialist therapeutic residential school for boys and girls aged 8 to 19 who have complexneeds which include complex behavioral, emotional and social difficulties. In addition to the school, we also haveChildren’s Home’s in the community at which young people can be placed for care when accessing mainstreamor college education or accessing education at Sheridan School.

Some of the young people have additional needs such as autism, post-traumatic stress disorder or attachmentdisorder. Sheridan is rated by OFSTED (2012) as ‘Good’ with the provision for students’ health, welfare, behaviorand safety, including the arrangements for safeguarding as ‘outstanding’. We support young people to develop anappropriate profile of personal qualities and values including reflective thinking, self-belief and throughengagement in a positive and appropriate curriculum, to ensure that positive outcomes are achieved througheducation, care and therapy.

The key purpose of our service is to create a safeenvironment for our young people so that they can fulfiltheir learning potential, improve their outcomes andincrease their emotional and physical well-being.

2. How are decisions made about who can useyour service?

Initial enquiries are made via Local Authorities Educationor Social Care officers to our school and also direct fromparents. All young people who attend Sheridan Schoolwill have Statements of Special Educational Need orEducation and Health Care (EHC) Plans.

Name of site Sheridan School

Address Thetford Road, Northwold, Thetford, Norfolk, IP26 5LQ

Contact name Michelle Smith

Telephone number 0845 277 4679

Email address MichelleSmithSheridan@priorygroup.com

Website address www.priorygroup.com

Facebook / Twitter feed Facebook.com/priorygroup, @Priorygroup

Copies of relevant paperwork are sent for consideration by the senior team at Sheridan, an initial decision ismade as to whether Sheridan School can meet the needs of the young person. At that stage, visits arearranged for parent/carer/social worker to visit the school.

3. How will school staff support the child/young person?

The Head Teacher has responsibility for, and oversees, the education provision for the young person. Seniorstaff, the Curriculum Leader and Pastoral Leader, supports this role. After proper consultation, teaching groupsand key workers are allocated to meet the specific needs of the young person. Education plans and behaviourplans are devised with the young person fully involved in target setting and reviewing their own progress.

Young people are taught in small classes usually comprising between 4 – 6 students. Each group has at leastone support assistant. All members of staff are committed to ensuring that the young people make progress intheir learning. They are also committed to the spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the youngperson and increasing their awareness of emotional literacy.

4. How will the curriculum be matched to thechild/young person’s needs?

The young person’s Statement or EHC plan is initially used toidentify the specific needs of the individual. From this, targetsare devised and individual programmes are created foreducation and behaviour. The baseline assessments for theyoung people also help inform the needs of the students andidentify learning targets.

All lessons are carefullyplanned and resourcedaround each person’sindividual targets which arethoughtfully differentiated toensure that everyone in theclass can achieve and meettheir goals. Learning iscontinually assessed andrevisited to ensure that it isembedded. Young people areinvolved in self assessment,peer assessment and teacherassessment and have constantfeedback, written and verbal,so they know where they are intheir learning and what theyneed to do to improve.

5. Do you offer any therapeutic services?

Sheridan School is supported in their work by therapeutic services provided by Consultants who are working withinthe school on a weekly basis. The types of therapeutic services available are psychotherapy, play therapy, musictherapy, art therapy, OT and Speech and Language therapy. The therapeutic services are augmented by ourConsultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist who links to the lead therapist and information is fed back throughoutthe school to staff, implementing support strategies with young people.

Our CAMHS consultant has 35 years experience of treating complex trauma and attachment disorders. He is alsoexperienced in the use of Solution Focused Brief, psychodynamic, neuroscience, attachment based, existential,phenomenology therapy. Therapists and Consultant Psychiatrist link to and work with local CAMHS provision.

6. How does the school celebrate the success of children with SEND?

The school constantly seeks to celebrate the successes of the young people at all times in a variety of waysthrough:

• Constant praise

• Continually concentrating on positive achievements rather than negative behaviours

• Operating a robust weekly reward system monitoring progress in learning, behaviour and attendance and resultingin a financial reward

• Having a reward assembly at the end of the week so the young people can share in each other’s success

• Linking the reward system to the end of term Gold, Silver andBronze trips.

• Enabling the young people to decide appropriate trips for theGold, Silver and Bronze rewards

• Having daily assemblies and highlighting positive achievements

• Encouraging the young people to participate in and helporganise the assemblies

• Having cups and trophies awarded termly for the mostimproved student in each of the key stages and the mostimproved group

• Having the Principal’s Cup awarded at the end of the academicyear for the student who has contributed most to the school

• Inviting parents/carers/guardians to open days at the end ofeach term to celebrate the young people’s achievements andsee them receive their rewards

• Certificates

• ‘Dude of the Week’

• School Ambassador and Buddy elections annually

7. How will the parent/carer know how their child/young person is doing and how will youhelp the parent/carer to support their child’s learning?

Each child is allocated a key worker and they act as first contact with parent/carer. Daily telephone calls can bemade to celebrate successes or discuss issues and daily reports can be sent home. In addition, we hold end ofterm open days where all members of staff are available to meet parents/carers and discuss their child’sacademic, emotional, social and behavioural progress. We are always open to discussing issues withparents/carers and will suggest alternative actions, where appropriate, to achieve positive outcomes.

8. What support will there be for the child’s overallwell-being?

The staff team in the school consist of specialist teachers, vocationalinstructors and pastoral support staff. The team work hand in handwith the residential staff to provide a bespoke package that maximises outcomes for each young person at the school.

All pupils follow a comprehensive PSHE and SMSC curriculum whichpromotes personal health and hygiene as well as a focus on buildingand sustaining positive and mutually respectful relationships. As thestudents progress through the school additional work focuses ondeveloping independence in life and living skills and travel.

We are a multi cultural school andstudents’ cultural awareness isenhanced by regular teaching aboutdiversity and celebrations in major worldreligions. The school is inclusive and anydiscrimination is not tolerated. Our chefscater for all dietary requirementsincluding any cultural requests.

All young people are invited to attendtheir Reviews, with or without their keyworker or teacher and, are encouragedand supported to say how they feel.

9. What specialist services, training and expertise are available at or accessed bythe school?

All members of staff are highly skilled and have many years experience in working with vulnerable young peoplewith challenging behaviour and complex needs. They all receive ongoing training from the Priory’s own renownedonline training modules and these cover a whole range of topics such as Autism, Deprivation of Liberty, Equalityand Diversity, Challenging Behaviour, Health and Safety, Safe Use of the Internet.

Staff qualifications range from various Degrees and Masters, qualified teachers NVQ and Teaching assistantqualifications. 2 staff members are qualified First Aid Trainers, 2 staff members Trainers for BehaviourManagement, 5 Child Protection Designated Officers, 3 staff PECS trained, 2 staff trained in TEACH method.There is also access to Autism Anglia for specific training, access to specific CP Training such as impact of DomesticViolence on Children, Sexualised Behaviour, Child Exploitation and Impact of Neglect.

10. How will children/young people be included in activities outside the classroom and howdoes the school ensure that children with SEND are able to access leisure and residentialactivities?

All activities both within the classroom and outside are thoroughly risk assessed prior to participation. Each youngperson has their own individual risk assessment which is reviewed regularly and updated as required – this could bedaily if behaviours dictate. It could be that the risks within the assessment are deemed lower than originallybecause of the progress made. This risk assessment will show what needs to be put in place to enable the young

person to participate in the activity safely.

Sometimes young people progress well enough tobe able to access mainstream school and, in thiscase they would be fully supported by staff. Therewould be planning meetings with young person,school, staff, ANC and parent/carer to ensure thatthe integration was as successful as possible andongoing meetings to check progress. Support isgiven to post 16 young people who attendmainstream colleges and this is tailored to suit theneeds of the individual.

End of term trips are arranged within school andparents/carers are informed of all details pertainingto the arrangements. Consent is requested fromparents/carers.

In the residents’ houses there are daily and weeklyplanning meetings where the staff and youngpeople discuss and decide what activities they wishto partake in that week.

11. Does your school offer any outreach?

Sheridan offers an Outreach service and training whichcan be accessed by both maintained schools and byLocal Authority.

12. How accessible is the school environment?

All ground floor areas, with the assistance of ramps are fullyaccessible by wheelchairs. Some first floor level classrooms,along with bedroom accommodation at Brook House (14-19residential home) is not accessible for wheelchair users.

There are disabled changing and toilet facilitiesat Sheridan and the Centre is fully accessible bywheelchairs. All classrooms have interactivewhiteboards, all have computers with sound andheadphones are available for those young peoplewith sensory issues.

13. How will the school prepare and supportthe child for transition or the next stageof education and life?

When the young person is referred to the schoolthere will be initial visits to view the school by parentand ANC or social worker. This is followed by a visitby the Principal to see the young person in his/hercurrent setting and then he/she will visit the schoolwith parent/carer.

Once the placement has been confirmed the parentwill return with the young person to completeregistration forms, collect uniform and plan the transition into Sheridan. There is no fixed transition period as eachyoung person’s needs are different. We work according to the needs of both the young person and those of theparent/carer. Sometimes there is no transition – the young person will start full time straight away, other times itmight be a slow integration.

At every stage of their education the young person is fully involved. IAG Advisers attend the school and speak withthem regularly from Year 9 upwards. All young people will be involved in making decisions about their future andcompleting application forms. School staff will support them to prepare for and attend interviews and will providereferences when required.

14. How is the decision made about what type and how much support the child will receive?

Sheridan School provides a high staff ratio compared to mainstream schools so additional support is already inplace. Sometimes, however, it may be deemed appropriate for a young person to receive 1:1 support at all timesand, in this case there would be a clause in the Statement of Special Needs stating that this was necessary.

Sometimes the young person’s needs change and it may be necessary to provide additional support. This would bedetermined through discussion in a multi-agency meeting involving all professionals involved with the particularyoung person and parent/carer.

15. Do you have a children's/young person’s council?

Sheridan School has a Student Council which meets every halfterm with a member of staff and a representative, then reportsto Senior Management at their following weekly meeting. Allmeetings are fully recorded and minutes are filed for futurereference. Members are elected annually by the whole schooland there are representatives from both day students andresidents, and across all key stages.

16. Does the school provide any specialist equipment(e.g. Sensory)?

There is a fully equipped sensory room as well as weighted shawls and balls. Several young people require “fiddlers”in class and these come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colours and texture. Headphones are available for those whoare sensitive to noise and there are special keyboards with large, coloured letters in the primary classrooms. Forthose who have sensitivities or allergies to certain foods we are able to cater for them appropriately.

17. How do you support young people to move onto the next stage of their life?

Young people are taught how to complete application forms, apply for job, interview skills, presentation skills etc.They are always encouraged to attend health checks and are supported to do so, then encouraged to make theirown future appointments with support throughout. All young people are taught how to budget and are supportedwith their finances whilst shopping. They are all taught how to wash and iron their clothes, how to make travelarrangements and, over a period of time are given the confidence to travel alone. They are encouraged to joinsocial groups such as youth club, sports centre, sports teams, where they are able to learn how to make anddevelop appropriate friendships whilst being supported to do so.

18. Where do young people go when they leave your service?

Sheridan has experienced a high percentage of leavers (86%) who have gained college placements orapprenticeships. Those who live in other Local Authorities return home, having gained a placement there, whilstthose who live in Norfolk may continue to reside at Brook House whilst attending college in the County.

Young people continue to develop their independence skills, learning to drive, cook meals, shopping and budgetingand we have successfully seen one young person move to independent living whilst continuing a college course.

Get in touchTo make the process of referring a young person into Priory Education and Childrens' Services as seamless as possible or for further information about Sheridan School, please contact our dedicated enquiries office today on 0845 277 4679.