Key Information

Annual Reviews

All pupils and students have an Annual Review of their Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), to discuss their progress and their future needs. The review consists of written reports, a review meeting and a summary of the recommendations and individual targets. The review is the opportunity to appraise and amend the EHCP outcomes set for the end of each Key Stage. Parents and professionals are advised of dates and sent documentation in advance of the meeting and are given every encouragement to attend. Pupils are also encouraged to take an active part in their Annual Review.

Individual Education Plans 

Class teachers share curriculum overviews and pupils' termly targets with parents for them to support learning at home. 

Each term pupils are set a series of individual targets linked to the main areas of their EHCPs and Annual Reviews. These targets cover the relevant stage of learning across school and address the different areas of the curriculum covered. As pupils move into Seniors, these targets include a focus on preparation for adulthood and accreditation pathways linked to each student's intended destinations beyond school or college.

We have recently introduced JAM targets - 'Just About Me', which are designed to support you and your child to set a target for their future linked to their specific aspirations - this might range from living independently to going on a plane. This supports our unique one-size-fits-one approach.

Care and Control

We pride ourselves on the huge success we have with supporting our students to understand and regulate their own behaviours. This is underpinned by the application of the 3 R's - 'Regulate' - 'Relate' and 'Reason', to support any student experiencing emotional dysregulation. This research-based approach validates our students' big emotions and then works with them to find ways to manage and offer better alternatives.

On the very rare occasions, when staff feel pupils need physical support or intervention, we use the county-approved 'Team Teach' approach to positive handling, used across Lancashire Special Schools. Staff receive appropriate training to support the pupils in their care delivered by our in-house Tutors - Carl Foster and Lindsey Beesley.

Any form of physical intervention is only ever carried out as a last resort and parents are fully informed about the decisions being made about their child's behaviour and safety. Where necessary students will have an individual Emotional Regulation Support plan in place which parents will sign and agree to. 

Health Care Plans

Some students require an individual plan to address their healthcare or medical needs. This is completed in consultation with the school nurse and class teams and agreed upon with parents. All staff working with students with a healthcare plan are suitably trained.

Religious Education and Collective Worship

Our school endeavours to ensure that all children and young adults grow up with an awareness of the multicultural nature of our society. The key to this is to share British Values and the discovery of different cultures and religions. We celebrate important religious and cultural festivals throughout the year and these complement our delivery of R.E. and Personal, Health, Social and Citizenship Education. Parents wishing to withdraw their child from Religious Education or the collective act of worship should make an appointment to discuss this with the Headteacher. Appropriate alternative provisions will be made as required.

Activities, Educational Visits and Residential Visits

All pupils take part in educational visits which run on a weekly and/or termly basis. These visits form part of the student’s curriculum and address subject skills as well as individual learning priorities. The school also now runs residential visits to Bendrigg Lodge on an annual basis. 

We also offer weekly visits to Inspire - Youth Zone in Chorley for our older pupils. This encourages them to learn how to access leisure activities within the community with increased independence.

The sessions are also designed to support the application of a range of functional and personal and social development skills linked to each student's EHCP and individualised learning plans - this could range from getting to the venue independently to supporting their peers in leading activities in the sports hall.

Health and Wellbeing

We operate a single equalities approach which is underpinned by our school aims and ethos and is part of our curriculum. Student safety, health and wellbeing are at the core of our school values. We believe students learn best and thrive when they feel happy and safe. Class staff operate as a team to support and monitor all aspects of the student's life in school. When any concern is raised class staff will refer it to the pupil support mentor or senior staff.

Healthy School

We pride ourselves on being a healthy school. At morning break, fruit or a healthy alternative is given to all children. Parents and carers are encouraged to send in a weekly donation towards the cost. We request that pupils’ packed lunches are as healthy and nutritionally balanced as possible. Water is provided in school. We request that sweets and fizzy drinks are not sent to school.

Attendance in school

Our children love coming to school. When specific issues arise with attendance we are quick to spot these and seek to work with the student and family to address this.

The school has an attendance team consisting of Sam Burke and Jackie Johnson who track and identify issues when a pupil's attendance causes a concern.

Only illness, medical appointments (which should be kept to a minimum), religious observance and extreme domestic need are reasons which can be authorised. Parents/Carers must inform the school on the first day and subsequent days of an absence. Unauthorised absences will be followed up by school with the support from the Local Authority, if necessary. The governors discourage pupils from taking holidays during term time. Attendance is an important part of our Home-School agreement and it should be noted that term-time holidays are actively discouraged. 

Complaints

Your child’s named teacher will be happy to help you with any worries, concerns or complaints you may have. Please feel free to contact the Headteacher or Governors should you feel that this is necessary. A copy of the Complaints Procedure is available from the school and on the website in the policies section.

Multi-disciplinary Working

We offer a holistic approach to meeting our pupils’ needs. School staff work closely and collaboratively with other professionals, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, teachers for the visually and hearing impaired, educational psychologists, social workers and the school nurse, to ensure that the needs of the whole child can be met. 

We also operate an in-house referral system to support our students when specific issues arise this can relate to any aspect of need. If parents want specific support they can contact the class team who will then seek the advice of our in-house team of experts.

Financial Accountability

Data for the financial performance of Mayfield School

https://schools-financial-benchmarking.service.gov.uk/School/Detail?urn=119889