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Churchward School Admissions

 Churchward School has a robust admissions process whereby we work closely with families and the local authority in assessing the suitability of placement and place planning. 

The following criteria will be used to determine if a student is to be referred to this special school and the students must meet all these criteria.  Each student must:

• have an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP);
• have Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) and/or Social Communication and Interaction Difficulties (SCID) as their primary need;
• be aged from 11-19 years old;
• have needs that cannot be met by a full-time placement in a mainstream school;
• be placed after full consultation with parents.

Should your child meet all of the above criteria and you are interested in applying for a place, we recommend that you contact the school to arrange a visit.  Detailed information about the school can be found on the school website: www.churchwardschool.org.uk 

The Local Authority will consider the request through the annual review process and you will be asked to confirm your preference for this provision. The Local Authority will consider your preference for Churchward School and may discuss it with you before allocating a place. The allocation will also be dependent on whether we can meet your child’s special educational needs. You will be formally notified of your child’s place at Churchward School by the Local Authority. Students entering the school will have come through the SENRAP admission pathway, directly from SENAT or through direct referral from the Complex Needs Resource Panel.

Churchward School’s Designation

Churchward School is for students aged 11 – 19 with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) and/or Social Communication and Interaction Difficulties (SCID) as their primary need. Most students will have a range of complex needs and additional challenges with some also have a learning difficulty.  Such students are likely to experience significant, complex, persistent and enduring difficulties.  Their range of needs may also be multi-layered and interconnected, combining mental health, anxiety, attachment, relationships, behavioural, physical, medical, sensory, and communication features.  Our tailored learning programmes support students working towards effectively accessing and engaging with learning; ultimately achieving relevant and meaningful accreditation and skills and achieving their potential.  Our curriculum also has a strong emphasis on skills for life – supporting our students to develop independence and feel valued and supported by their local community, as well as to have the ability to contribute economically and socially to their locality. 

Churchward School’s vision

Recognising strengths, gaining skills, achieving success

Recognising strengths…

We will work with students, and all who support them to identify and build on current strengths.

Gaining skills…

Our students will gain the skills they need to shape their future.

Achieving Success…

We will ensure our students achieve meaningful success enabling them to feel valued by, and contribute to, their community.

The aims of our Learning Vision are:

• To establish a community that will explicitly develop communication skills, social interaction, self-regulation and flexibility of thought.
• To enable students to make exceptional progress through ensuring high quality, specialist and consistent teaching and learning and appropriate accreditation pathways.
• To provide specialised, low arousal learning environments that respond to individual needs and accommodate the sensory needs of our learners
• To promote the core life values of independence and interdependence

The Learning Environment

• Churchward School benefits from a purpose-built school featuring specialist facilities such as a sensory room, a science laboratory, enrichment rooms including art, drama and cooking and indoor and outdoor physical education facilities.
• Given the range of ASC need, areas for group work and individual study will also be provided. To reduce anxiety the learning environment will have visually recognisable pathways and clearly designated spaces, this will enable the young person to successfully transition to activities throughout the day. Appropriate break-out spaces will be provided linking directly from the learning spaces to allow opportunities for successful de-escalation.
• Integral to our curriculum will be the use of both Uplands Educational Trust’s (UET) and local community resources in Swindon; e.g. libraries and sports facilities.

Curriculum

For our students we want to equip them with the cultural capital they need to be inspired to help and challenge themselves so that they are able to achieve self-fulfilment in their lives. Given that we are a specialist school for students with autism/social communication and interaction difficulties, supporting students to develop the core life values of independence and interdependence is key. Whilst at Churchward School, we aspire for every student to develop transferable skills to be able to:

• Acquire the knowledge and skills to make informed choices and decisions.

• Apply and develop their numeracy and literacy skills with confidence throughout their adult lives.

• Identify risks and seek support where needed to keep themselves safe.

• Equip themselves with emotional regulation skills and strategies to support their positive mental health.

• Identify with and find inspiration in elements of the curriculum offer in order to develop transferable skills for their future, for example, teamwork, problem solving, empathy, perseverance, resilience, curiosity and creativity.

• Develop an understanding of and ability to engage in safe, healthy and mutually rewarding relationships.

• Uphold the British Values of democracy, tolerance, mutual respect and the rule of law and liberty, feeling prepared for adult life in our diverse multi-cultural society.

• Develop responsible attitudes to their physical health – developing understanding of health and nutrition and identifying preferred physical activities/sports which they can take forward into adulthood.

• Engage in recreational activities they enjoy that give them fulfilment in their leisure time.

• Trust that their opinion is valued and feel confident to voice their opinions; being able to take on board others’ viewpoints and adjust their own accordingly. • Continue their education, building on the qualifications and skills they have learned at Churchward School to be able to achieve their goals.

• Contribute economically to their community – through paid/voluntary employment and have an understanding of how to manage their finances effectively.

In terms of accreditation, our aim is for all students to leave Churchward School with at least five qualifications. We provide regular opportunities for students to engage in accreditation at different levels to develop their confidence along their accreditation journey in Key Stages 4 and 5. This is to ensure that they have secured recognition of their achievements along their journey, in order to boost their confidence in their own abilities, as well as to reduce the pressure when it comes to final assessments for exams-based subjects such as GCSEs.

We aim to offer high quality teaching and learning opportunities and consistent standards and expectations across the whole curriculum offer, which in turn offer both predictability and aspiration for our students and encourage them to develop their self-confidence and self-esteem. The teaching and learning offer is personalised and adapted, not only to meet the child’s specific learning difficulties but their personal learning style, as well as ability. We invest significantly to ensure quality target and outcome setting through the annual review process and continually strive as a school to ensure that students’ Education and Health Care Plans (EHCPs) are live working documents within the classroom and when out and about in the community. This is to ensure that we are meeting each student’s holistic needs and offering them a relevant and meaningful curriculum which supports them effectively through key transitions and prepares them for their next phase of education or employment. We work towards equipping our students with the knowledge, the skills and independence they need to thrive in a less specialist environment and with reducing support over time. Our ultimate aim is to support all our students to make exceptional holistic progress from their starting points in order to become positive young people equipped with the life and work skills they need, for a sustainable future that is fulfilling for them.

Assessing students’ progress towards outcomes in collaboration with parents/carers

Assessment appropriate to each student’s age, stage and needs is in place, in line with the school’s assessment policy which is reviewed annually.  Progress is reported on qualitatively by each student’s class teacher three times a year through the school’s formal reporting cycle, at parents’ evenings, as well as in collaboration with parents and other agencies working with each student through the annual review process of their Education and Health Care Plan.  This is a very special, student centred event where we collaboratively celebrate their progress, review their EHCP, their needs and their plan for their future, with the student, their family and relevant professionals. The students are supported to make a presentation for their review and express their views in a way that suits them and parents/carers are invited to share their views through a form prior to the meeting in addition to their contributions within the meeting.  As part of the EHCP process, attainment including their current assessment levels, accreditation updates and progress towards their EHCP outcomes; including personal English and Maths targets, will be reported on. 

The Team

The school prides itself on enabling all staff to access quality and effective CPD – both our internal programme of training within the school and Multi-Academy Trust as well as external training courses.  This links with priorities in staff performance management and our School Improvement Plan. 

Partnership working supports all aspects of our learning offer and strong relationships are an integral feature of the Churchward School community. The school works closely with external professionals to ensure that the needs of students are met, and this collaborative working informs planning and delivery of curriculum content and wider educational experiences of each student.

The Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP) will indicate the required therapies necessary for each student’s needs.  We will follow the guidance identified in the EHCP reviews in working with our students. We will liaise with other identified professionals in order to provide the services required. We currently work with other services; for example, CAMHS, Social Care – Disabled Children’s Team/ Adult Social Care, Speech and Language and Occupational Therapy.

Transitions

Transitions are about moving on to the next stage of life and gaining confidence. It is about being able to settle well into new routines, new environments and getting to know new people. At Churchward School we place a high value on transitions and commit to visiting new students in their current schools and arranging orientation visits to the Free School to enable them to become familiar with the staff, routines and what their education package will look like during this time.   The staff will support students to move smoothly into the school community and continue to provide support and guidance during their time at Churchward School.  From Year 11 onwards each student is allocated a transition worker from the local authority, who will support them in their transition to adulthood at 18. When students are preparing to move on from Churchward School, staff will help them and their families investigate different options such as a return to a mainstream provider or a different school, college, work, living in the community and/or leisure and social opportunities.

Equality and diversity

At Churchward School we are committed to ensuring equality of education and opportunity for all members of the school community – students, staff, governors, parents and community members. We aim to develop a culture of inclusion and diversity where everyone, irrespective of their race, ethnic or national origin or their citizenship, gender, age, sexual orientation, religious belief or disability feels welcome, valued and able to participate fully in school life.

Monitoring of the effectiveness of the provision

There are robust systems in place for the CEO, Education Team, Senior Leadership and Governors to monitor the effectiveness of the school provision. The senior leadership team also monitors the delivery of teaching and progress made.  Moderation takes place with other schools within the MAT and with equivalent local providers.   Ofsted visit the school every 3 – 5 years to monitor and make their judgement.