Provision
Pens Meadow School caters for pupils aged 3-19 with severe, complex and profound learning difficulties. Our provision offers pupils a broad, balanced and contextualised range of learning experiences that enable them to work towards achieving their EHCPs outcomes. It develops their knowledge and understanding whilst ensuring opportunities to apply their core skills of Communication, English and Maths. There is also a strong emphasis on encouraging independence, developing life skills through real world contexts and addressing barriers to learning such as challenging behaviour or physical disabilities.
Pens Meadow School’s Curriculum is enhanced by contextualised learning as well as frequent opportunities to generalise skills and knowledge in real-life situations. Pupils take part in and learn about the events and celebrations throughout the year. Themed weekly assemblies support pupils’ development of their knowledge about carefully selected world’s festivals and celebrations, whilst Learning Outside The Classroom and Form Time activities allow them to learn about their local environment and community.
Once particular needs, strengths, areas of interests or challenges have been identified, there are opportunities within the week to personalise the provision for students.
In order to facilitate the best possible outcomes for pupils we adopted “Assess – Plan – Do – Review” model. We work with various external professionals, whether they are commissioned by the school, Local Authority or NHS services.
In order to enhance pupils’ personal development, including meeting individual sensory needs as well as emotional regulation, the school has commissioned Occupational Therapy. These are weekly sessions, where the therapists supports individual pupils as well as staff CPD in developing their ability to recognise and address pupils’ development of their fine motor skills, feeding difficulties in additions to the ones mentioned above. The therapist also provides suggestions of the resources and equipment needed to address those needs.
In addition to Occupational Therapy, the school also commissions Speech and Language Therapy provision delivered by Soundswell.
We work with two therapists who specialise with supporting young people with additional needs. One has also worked on development of non-body signing system, widely used in UK.
Following the thorough assessment, we have developed a system of work where the therapists support classes and groups of pupils as well as assess individual needs of pupils and student that require additional support to meet their communication needs and support its development.
We also work with a variety of external professionals, including dysphagia specialists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, specialist health professionals to name a few. We are open to and actively seek support from experts in order to meet the needs of our pupils and secure best possible outcomes for them.
In parallel to the provision, we offer fantastic curriculum. The curriculum consists of core subjects English, Maths and Science which are supplemented by phonics and handwriting sessions. We also focus on all areas of National Curriculum that benefit our pupils’ development. Information about the curriculum can be found here.
The core provision in Post 14 ensures all students have broad, balanced, relevant and challenging opportunities. Communication, independence, personal development and preparation for the next stage of their adult life are the central themes.
We have excellent facilities for developing catering and hospitality skills, office skills or outdoor learning such as horticulture. This supports students by providing relevant work-related learning opportunities with internal and external opportunities. We have links with a variety or work places where our students can practice their skills learnt in the classroom. In addition to that it enables them to develop further their employability skills, which will enhance their life long opportunities when they graduate from Pens Meadow School.
