A community day school for 110 pupils aged 7-16 years with moderate learning difficulties and additional needs.
This school subscribes to the beliefs set out in ‘Every Child Matters’ that children and young people have a right to:
The school was originally built as a 1980’s purpose built single storey special school for 140 pupils aged 5 to 16 years with moderate learning difficulties. The school was built to a primary, open plan design and has suffered from a lack of accommodation and modern curriculum facilities for older pupils. A remodelled entrance hall and meeting room has enhanced the facilities and a significant three class base, art room, library and hall with changing facilities will be ready for use in October 2008.
The school has its own kitchen and secured hard and grassed play areas, with staff/visitor parking being extended to accommodate the enlarged staff as part of the planned redevelopment.
Pennine View School provides places for 110 pupils aged between 7+ years (NC Year 3) and 15+ years (NC Year 11) coming from across the Doncaster borough.
There are pupils with a wide range of special educational needs.
Some are independent learners who require a differentiated curriculum provided at an appropriate pace in an environment where enhanced support is easily available.
Some require very carefully prepared and rigorously supervised programmes so that they can make good progress in their learning. In this respect the school is of similar constitution to a similar new school in Scawsby, Stone Hill School.
Some pupils have autism or related communication difficulties and others have other medically diagnosed conditions that have an effect on their learning.
Many pupils placed at the school have a complexity of needs and all require support that is additional to and different from that which can be provided in everyday mainstream settings so that they can make good progress with learning. All of the pupils will have a minimum general ability at or around P level 9 of the National Curriculum while there will be an expectation that for some students outcomes of the equivalent of five GCSE will be achieved.
Combinations of the following:
Programmes provided by the school promote independence in life and in learning and so are similar to those of mainstream schools. The differences from mainstream school lie mainly in resourcing and an emphasis on communication, addressing social and emotional needs and innovative approaches to the curriculum with adjustments to teaching style that enables pupils to learn effectively at appropriate level and pace.
The school curriculum is built on the National Curriculum; this is provided at a level appropriate to different groups within the school so that they achieve the best possible performance. We will provide materials in a form related to the pupils’ age whatever the level of performance.
The knowledge and understanding of practical techniques to improve communication and social skills, and to overcome specific learning difficulties are promoted in the school. As well as being able to make effective intervention with pupils, this also makes the school a suitable resource for other schools in the Borough.
The school provides, for each pupil, an inclusion plan that shows how the individual has access to the positive influence of a peer group wider than that in the school and how the school works to promote this and prevent isolation because of location.
The provision made by the school is unique within the Borough, but is designed to have overlaps and links with the provision made in other special schools, pupil referral units, mainstream schools and by other educational providers such as colleges and training organisations so that appropriate sharing and transition planning is effective.
The school acts as a focus for training and development alongside the service provided for mainstream pupils by Children's Services. It is also available as a source of support for mainstream schools in responding to reading difficulties associated with specific learning needs.
So that different levels and learning needs can be accommodated, the school will work in partnership with a range of other professionals. Close links with professionals from the health and social services will be encouraged. The school has a well focused plan to encourage the professional learning of staff so that provision is at the forefront of current knowledge in the field of special education.
The school sets out to promote spontaneous and independent means of communication throughout. Where necessary we will supplement this with sign and symbol. For most of our students this not a day-to-day necessity, but where needs for support are identified, we will plan and adjust styles to accommodate those needs in line with our commitment to using all senses to make teaching and learning effective.
The school is well equipped with computers, and teachers are expected to make full use of the technology available to prepare and deliver teaching programmes in all areas of the curriculum. There is a distinct ICT curriculum structure that promotes skills in using information technology. This is extended to include familiarity with on-line assessment procedures where this supports assessment for some pupils.
The school has a clear policy for the delivery of health and sex education that has been agreed with parents and is taught at levels to match the age and understanding of the pupils throughout the school.
There is a full programme of Personal Social Health and Citizenship Education that includes both awareness and measures to combat the attraction a drug culture might hold for pupils.
The school works in line with the curriculum agreed and revised in the Local Guidance from SACRE.
The school uses a wide range of contacts and services so that pupils have access to knowledge and understanding of work as they progress through school. The development of enterprise and, towards the end of their full time education, related activities will lead to work experience appropriate to students’ level of ability and understanding.
The school holds a range of resources, both conventional and digital and available for loan to support parents and families as they contribute to the learning of their children. Resources are also available for other schools to borrow and evaluate in their own settings.
The Headteacher and staff have developed a wide range of visits and experiences outside school that enhance the curriculum. We also expect to make a residential visit available to each child so that they can gain in learning and social skills through that experience.
Our behaviour policy is constructed along with our Home School Agreement to emphasise our positive approach to securing good behaviour and managing inappropriate conduct.
The governors and staff have a zero tolerance approach to overt or covert behaviour that discriminates in any way and, if it appears in school, expect quick intervention through raising awareness, applying sanctions and, in serious or persistent cases, involving outside agencies including the police. We will also examine our own practices in an attempt to ensure that we do not inadvertently use or perpetuate discriminatory behaviour but promote inclusion and harmony.
The governors and school management team work with external advice and through consultation with its community of children, parents, carers and staff to deliver an accessibility scheme so that all can access premises, curriculum and information according to their needs and to benefit the pupils.
The school reports, as all other schools, through the provision of Annual Reports for students and SATS results where appropriate. The Governors emphasise the need for close and regular contact with parents, both on an individual basis and through parents’ interest groups and parents’ evenings.
Teachers and mentors develop personalised plans for pupils and these will be frequently discussed with parents when targets are changed significantly. The programme of Annual Review is rigorously pursued and the staff will ensure that pupils, parents and carers are involved fully with staff in carrying out those reviews.
The school continually promotes networks and links with other agencies so that the resources that are available can be targeted effectively and a wide range of skills, knowledge and understanding brought to the support of pupils.
The school acts as a resource for other schools. The nature of support is normally through outreach work and consultation. For example, where the school has staff skilled in the development of language, speaking and listening, this will be offered as a resource for training and the generation of solutions to teaching and learning needs in neighbouring mainstream schools.
The outreach function(s) will be operated on a partnership Agreement between the Local Authority and the school on behalf of all other Doncaster schools. The Agreement will establish clear referral routes, detail delivery expectations and establish robust success criteria.
