Type of Provision
Kings Meadow School is a Local Authority (LA) community day primary special school for pupils aged 5 - 11 years.
The school is designated to meet the full time educational needs of 35 pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties, which may include autism and other complex needs. Although severe social, emotional and mental health difficulties, with resulting challenging behaviours, is the most significant disability in respect of educational progress, it is recognized that pupils may have associated or significant learning difficulties. All pupils at Kings Meadow need close monitoring, consistent management and high levels of professional support and guidance. All pupils need help with the development of social competence and emotional maturity.
Kings Meadow primarily serves Northampton, Daventry, and the South and West of Northamptonshire.
Admission Criteria and Arrangements
All admissions will be determined by the Local Authority in accordance with the ‘SEN and Disability Code of Practice’, July 2014, if the pupil has an EHC plan or in accordance with the ‘SEN Code of Practice’, November 2001, if the pupil has a statement of SEN. Consultation with the school will be in accordance with these documents, before the Local Authority makes a decision about placement.
Where possible a member of staff from Kings Meadow School visits the pupil in their current placement and pupils are invited to visit the school prior to admission.
School Characteristics
The school is organised into class groups. A variety of factors are considered when forming class groups, such as age, level of performance, social and emotional maturity.
The school believes that familiar and established routines and procedures can support learning. They provide a 'road map' that helps pupils know what to expect. They can support social interactions and establish a sense of security for children (e.g. established procedures around arriving in the classroom, routines for registration, book changing, and circle time). Structure and routines throughout the day helps to provide consistency and a feeling of security for the pupils.
The layout of the classroom, organisation of the outdoor learning environment and provision of resources support inclusive teaching approaches.
Lunchtimes are considered an important part of the pupils’ social education. Some members of staff eat with pupils in small family groups. Hot meals are available. During the lunch break pupils may participate in a lunchtime group run by staff. The aims of these organised activities are to help pupils to develop their range of social skills including team work, turn-taking, sharing, co-operation and collaboration. Such activities can include football, cricket, playground games, computing, art & craft, and indoor games.
The school aims to provide a broad and balanced curriculum. This includes access to programmes of study within Key Stage 1 & 2 of the National Curriculum.
Teaching and learning styles reflect the needs of the pupils; personalised and individual learning is of high status. Work is appropriately differentiated and curriculum content carefully considered. Staff build on success not failure.
Kings Meadow recognizes the need to teach pupils social, emotional and behavioural skills and understanding and as such have developed and produced a Primary Curriculum for social and emotional needs supported by the Local Authority. This curriculum enables staff to plan and deliver social and emotional lessons as well as capitalising on opportunities throughout the day. By teaching social and emotional skills, pupils at Kings Meadow School are encouraged to develop life-long skills that will help them become more rounded individuals, able to understand and communicate their own feelings and be sensitive to those of others.
Review
Role of the school:
- Reviews arrangements for pupils with EHC Plans are set out in the relevant SEN Codes of Practice. Kings Meadow School will adhere to these, ensuring that due process is followed and that relevant time frames are adhered to.
Role of the Local Authority:
- Northamptonshire Local Authority will review a pupil’s EHC Plan and Statement of SEN in accordance with the relevant SEN Code of Practice. The Local Authority will ensure that due process is followed and that relevant time frames are adhered to.
Assessment and Monitoring
For students:
- During the first half term of a pupil’s entry, staff use a variety of assessment tools to ascertain the pupil’s strengths and needs including their social and emotional development.
- Individual targets are set and shared with the pupil and parents/carers. Throughout the year pupils’ progress is carefully tracked to ensure that any underachievement is quickly noticed and put right.
- Pupils will have a post admission meeting within eight weeks to set initial targets.
- Results from regular standardized testing, teacher predictions and assessment are used to inform planning, teaching and the target setting process.
- All Statements of special educational needs and Education, Health and Care plans are reviewed at least annually. This gives the opportunity to consider the statement or EHC plan and the progress the pupil has made over the previous period.
- During the summer term the school provides a written report on each pupil detailing progress made throughout the year
For the school:
- The school is included within the Local Authority’s monitoring cycle. A report is written and the school incorporates recommendations within the whole school development plan.
- The school is inspected by OFSTED.
Exit Criteria and Arrangements
The needs of individual pupils are paramount. It should not be assumed that all pupils attending Kings Meadow School requiring specialist provision at a particular time will do so permanently. The presumption of mainstreaming is based on the premise that there is benefit to pupils when their inclusion with their mainstream peers is properly prepared, well supported and takes place in mainstream schools, colleges or academies which demonstrate a positive ethos towards SEN inclusion.
Staffing Details
Kings Meadow School has a dedicated staff team who are committed to ensuring effective learning. All teachers have considerable experience and expertise in this particular area of special education. Teaching assistants, committed to meeting the needs of the pupils support the teaching throughout the school.