Class Teacher

LARWOOD SCHOOL- CHANGING BEHAVIOUR FOR A REWARDING FUTURE

Introduction

Larwood School is a primary day / residential special school for boys and girls with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties. The school opened in September 1996 following a review of EBD provision by Hertfordshire LEA.

The school is named after Harold Larwood, the English fast bowler famous for his part in winning the Ashes. The name Larwood was chosen because Harold was a workingman who became a sporting hero through effort and hard work. Harold’s daughter Enid and her husband are regular visitors to the school.

Larwood is funded for 60 pupils of which 25 are residential. There are up to eight class groups across the age range; each class has a class teacher and a full time learning and support assistant. The school has developed a broad and balanced curriculum based on the National Curriculum with literacy and Numeracy as elements. Religious Education is based on the Hertfordshire framework and a range of sporting, recreational and cultural activities and opportunities are provided.  We have developed a thematic curriculum mapped to the National Curriculum, providing an existing opportunity for challenging cross-curricular studies.

Access to a 24-hour curriculum is offered through residential accommodation for 25 pupils in three houses. This is on a weekly basis, with an extended day opportunity offered occasionally to some pupils.

The staff team of 45 consists of Head teacher, 2 Deputy Head teachers, 7.5 full time teachers, 2 Higher Level Teaching Assistants, 12 Learning and Support Assistants and Behaviour Support Staff, 6 Residential Care Team.  Administration, Catering and Premises Staff.

The School team is further supported by visiting and attached professionals including Educational Psychologist, Advisory Teacher for Autism, Speech and Language Therapist, School Doctor, School Nurse and Attendance and Inclusion Officer.  In addition, therapy may be arranged at the discretion of the Local Authority, CAMHS and Health Authority.

Aims of the School

Despite it’s deletion, the school remains committed to the Principles and Aims of ‘Every Child Matters’ and endeavours to achieve this through the following:

1.      To prepare pupils for a life in a multi-cultural society and to ensure equality of opportunity for all, regardless of need, race, religion, culture, gender or disability.
2.      To develop and maintain a style of pupil management where boundaries and expectations are clearly defined, consistently applied and in which staff strive to build and maintain positive and supportive relationships with pupils, parents/carers and each other.
3.      To provide a broad, balanced, differentiated and relevant curriculum to include the National Curriculum, which encourages every pupil to acquire knowledge, skills and understanding relevant to the present and in preparation for their future secondary education and beyond, to a world of work and leisure.
4.      To have high expectations for our pupils’ achievements, responsibilities and sensitivity towards others.
5.      To recognise and value our pupils’ talents, abilities and successes in order to develop self-esteem and good self-image.
6.      To make a significant contribution to each pupil becoming a happy, healthy and caring young person capable of forming relationships and taking responsibility for their actions and learning.
7.      To provide opportunities, encouragement and support for all staff and volunteers to develop skills, knowledge and experiences for their current and future roles.

Ethos and Philosophy

The ethos and approach to the management of pupil behaviour is underpinned by a philosophy and the twin belief that:

·         All children will respond well when their appropriate behaviour, effort and achievement receives consistent recognition, reward and reinforcement.

·         That children with Severe Social Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties will have previously drawn responses and adult attention to their actions which has simply served to reinforce the very negative behaviour the adults have sought to correct.

Larwood adopts a largely “behaviourist” style in its approach to education and management of the pupils.  A more “therapeutic” dimension is achieved through the practice of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, a behaviour management system and framework in which all of the staff are trained.  The aim of TCI is “to reduce or eliminate the need for physical intervention and to provide staff with skills and knowledge to become the catalyst through which the young person changes old habits, destructive responses, and maladaptive behaviour responses”.  The TCI programme trains staff to “prevent crisis through the understanding of how the environment and the workers’ interactions with young people affect the children.  Helping children develop new responses to their environment will enable them to achieve a higher level of social and emotional maturity”.

We seek to recognize and reward aspects of pupil behaviour and achievement that are positive, beneficial and promote all round development and progress of the child as well as providing home-school liaison facilitated by the Family and Community Liaison Manager.

Range of Needs

Pupils at Larwood will have a Statement of Special Educational Needs unless under exceptional circumstances the LA considers a placement for assessment to be appropriate. Pupils will have been assessed as having their overall social, educational performance depressed by their social and emotional experiences with resultant behavioural difficulties. The main presenting need will be emotional and behavioural and, in addition, there may be a degree of sensory, physical, communication or learning difficulty as described in the LA Guidance for Admission. This currently includes pupils with degrees and combinations of: ADHD, Tourettes Syndrome, Dyslexia, Autism, Asperger Syndrome and ODD.

Provision for Disabled Children

The main presenting need, as identified in pupils’ statements, is Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties as well as an increasing number of pupils with Autistic Spectrum Difficulties and Asperger Syndrome.  EBD is considered a learning disability within the definition of the Education Act 1993.  Additionally, the school expects to meet the needs of pupils with a range of needs described above.  The school has limited access for disability which is addressed in the School’s Disability Access Plan.

Admissions

Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) Children Services Department are the admissions authority for the school’s day and residential provision. Children Services/SEN policy is to place pupils in the school able to meet the pupils’ needs, nearest to where they live. Pupils will in the norm, come from the north and the east of the county and from other areas of the county as needs arise. Referrals from ‘out county’ are considered if referred through HCC SEN procedures. The school has a well-established admission process, which seeks to confirm the appropriateness of the initial referral. The referral documentation is reviewed and the pupil and carers are subsequently invited to the school for interview. This interview will focus on an explanation of the school’s philosophy and approach to the management of behaviour. This will be followed by a second meeting at school, or in the family home, with our Family and Community Liaison Manager, who will gather more specific information about the pupil’s needs, presenting difficulties and background. An admission will be agreed if both the carers and the school believe that the school is best placed to meet the pupil’s needs and importantly there is an acceptance that the pupil has the capacity to choose to change his/her behaviour. Residential places are offered when it is jointly agreed between the school and the carers that the pupil would benefit from the opportunity for enhanced educational and behavioural progress provided by the increased consistency of management, stability of routines and relationships possible in the residential setting. Residential placements are not offered for reasons of care alone.

Religious Aspects

Larwood has no religious affiliation. The school respects any religious or dietary requirements requested by parents or carers.

Staff Responsibilities

Designated Child Protection Officer:                    Jane Kimpton

Designated Deputy Child Protection Officer:             Jackie Whitaker

Designated Officer for Looked After Children:           Alan Whitaker