Learning Support Assistant

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Columbus School and College was formerly two separate special needs schools in Chelmsford –Woodlands School in Patching Hall Lane and The Hayward School in Maltese Road.

Woodlands School served children with profound and multiple learning difficulties and complex learning difficulties aged 3–19 years. The Hayward School served children with moderate learning difficulties and autism aged 4–16.

The two schools federated in 2005 to form Chelmsford New Model Special School with a single governing body. There were two campuses – Woodlands Campus and Hayward Campus.

On the 1 September 2009 the two schools formally amalgamated to form Columbus School and College. The School Campus in Patching Hall Lane currently has pupils aged from Nursery to Year 10 and the College Campus in Oliver Way currently has students from Years 10 to 14. There is an FE Department on College Campus which has students from Year 12 to Year 14.

Graded as 'outstanding' by Ofsted in 2010 and 2014, Columbus is a leading all age special school for children and young people with severe and profound learning difficulties. The school became part of Lift Schools in May 2012. Columbus delivers an outstanding education in its new, purpose-built environment.

Our Curriculum

Columbus offers a broad and varied curriculum for all children and young people. Whilst recognising the need to provide access to all the subjects and learning experiences from the National Curriculum, we acknowledge the need to combine this with a more  holistic view of learning with a focus upon a number of skills that can be challenging for our young people.

Our Key Skills Curriculum is designed to support lifelong learning, enabling us to do just that by intertwining subject specific learning experiences with opportunities to develop communication skills, problem solving skills, motor development, independence and social skills. personal, social and health skills, communication skills, applying and using mathematics, motor development, information technology skills, study skills and problem solving skills.

Our subject specific, specialist learning environments, motor therapy suites and sensory rooms support the Columbus teaching and learning teams to focus intensively upon the individual sensitivities and impairments of each child and young person in a specifically designed, supportive space. The work done in these spaces is heavily supported by our resident Therapists and their Assistants with much of what is designed and delivered in these specialist rooms being transferred into the classroom throughout the school week.

Community-based learning features on every child and young person’s timetable every week. We believe that the earlier we start social and independence building skills, the more chance at success we have for the future. Community-based learning experiences include basic travel training, visits to the local shops, horse riding or perhaps even a visit to the hairdressers! For our younger children, we make visits that relate to early learning or mobility skills or visits to places that link to a topic or project.

Our older students access learning and social opportunities in the local community that will aid them to enter the world of work or help them to access independent or semi-independent living. Experiences for our older students include college placements, travel training, health and fitness, the exploration of new hobbies and interests as well as activities relating to independent living tasks and routines.

Columbus extends its curriculum to offer education journeys both abroad and within the UK in order to broaden our young people's learning and social experiences.

Who is Lift Schools?

Lift Schools is made up of 57 primary, secondary and special schools, educating more than 33,000 pupils across the country. We believe education can transform lives – and we want every child in our schools to achieve their full potential.

Our mission:

1. We will provide an excellent education to every child, in every classroom, every day.
2. With excellent leadership and teaching in every school, we will help children go on to lead successful and happy lives.
3. We will work with others beyond our network to benefit more children and communities.