Parents
Will my child be happy at school?
In many respects HOW each pupil learns is as important as WHAT he or she learns. We areparticularly respectful of this fact and we try to ensure that:
1. Pupils enjoy what they do
- we all learn much better if it is fun to do!
2. Pupils learn by doing
- active learning, rather than passive participation.
Can Blakebrook provide for all my child's needs?
Yes and no. Our school has a lot to offer in terms of resources, specialised staff, curriculum teaching styles. However to achieve our central aim of preparing children to live as independently aspossible in the community, we need to integrate our pupils into as many community settings as possible.
Consequently, we have several inclusion programmes with mainstream schools to access the richer social and language environment provided by other children. This is to enable them to learn from other children and to generalise skills learnt at school into other settings. Where possible we try to link our pupils with schools closest to their home so that they may form relationships with peers from their local community.
Consultation with parents is an important aspect of inclusion and we hope we can always rely on your support. We are always here to listen to any concerns or suggestions you may have concerning this aspect of your child's education.
What happens in the Senior Department?
The curriculum for young 16-19 year old adults in the senior department takes account of the post school lifestyle options available to our students. Greater and more practical emphasis is placed on whole school themes such as personal independence, making choices and decisions, community education, health education and work experience.
The national curriculum no longer applies and students are encouraged to take more responsibility for their learning, selecting programmes from a range of modules from the ASDAN curriculum. This curriculum is specifically designed for students with learning difficulties and it has the great advantage that students' achievements are nationally accredited.
How is behaviour dealt with?
At Blakebrook we see good behaviour as important to enhance learning. We reward good behaviour to such an extent that children soon learn that being good is more fun than being naughty.
Our Behaviour Policy explains how we
- look for and encourage the positive side of each pupil
- establish clear boundaries
- ensure a consistent approach from all school staff
There are a variety of methods used dependent on the pupil and the situation. We try to make sure that pupils know and understand the reasons for not using unacceptable behaviour and are madeaware of alternative and more appropriate forms of behaviour.
There are times when behaviour at home or in school is difficult to manage. In such cases we hope to work closely with families to evolve a consistent and socially acceptable approach.
How can Parents involve themselves with the School?
We actively seek a high level of parental involvement as we believe good home-school relations produce benefits for each pupil. The school needs to gain an understanding of the 'whole' child. Parents can contribute so much to this because they know their child better than anyone. A home visit will be made to develop a shared understanding of a child's strengths and needs to enable the development of a consistent approach between home and school.
The first few days at school are sometimes confusing and bewildering for pupils and to ease the situation we are happy to give parents the opportunity to attend with their child if they wish to do so.
Additionally the school has many resources and skills as well as friendship and support to offer parents and families. There are many ways we can work together.