Support
Woodcroft recognises the importance of supporting its pupils, parents and professional partners before, during and immediately after a child's placement at Woodcroft. The following pages outline some of the ways that our experienced staff team can enhance and support each pupil's education.
Parental involvement
Great importance is placed upon liaison between home and school, as a working partnership with parents is a crucial factor in the child's education. The school welcomes visits from parents and aims to keep them fully informed of pupil progress and school events.
The Statutory Annual Review is held at the school and provides an opportunity to assess in depth the individual child's needs and our provision. Parents are asked to attend and contribute to this review; and to comment on and contribute to their child's Individual Education Plan and to assist in its implementation.
A member of staff designated as a home/school partnership co-ordinator is available as a contact for parents on a daily basis. Staff will visit individual homes as necessary to provide support where there may be difficulties and to help maintain a consistent approach. Parents also receive information and support in a variety of other ways including telephone contact and daily written communication in the home/school books. Social events, a monthly parents' support group, termly workshops and regular newsletters help to provide closer links between home and school.
Behavioural support
It is the policy of the school that all pupils are treated with care and respect. At Woodcroft School we use positive methods to reinforce appropriate behaviour, these include praise for achievement and the recognition of good effort and behaviour. No corporal punishment or exclusion without an adult is used. Individual Behaviour Support Plans are fully discussed, agreed, monitored and reported upon regularly. Staff have been trained in Strategies for Crisis Intervention and Prevention (SCIP). Copies of our behaviour management policy and pupil discipline policy, which include sanctions adopted in the event of a pupil misbehaving, are available on request.
Policy on removal from school
Some forms of extreme disruptive behaviour may require preventative measures such as physical intervention or temporary or permanent removal from class or school. Such extreme behaviours include those breaches of discipline causing serious risk to the welfare of pupils themselves or others, serious damage to property, or severe disruption of learning.
The school is committed to adopting a wide range of measures to prevent removal from school. Parents are encouraged to approach the school if they wish to discuss particular issues.
Assessment, recording and reporting
The school has established a regular assessment cycle to provide feedback on learning, inform future planning and provide Records of Achievement and progress. Our academic administrator co-ordinates this process across the school.
Pupils are assessed on entry and parents are provided with termly summary and annual reports as part of the statutory review process. Where appropriate the school carries out and submits assessments during the summer term.
English as a second language
Where English is not a pupil's first or home language staff learn basic words in the relevant language and reinforce learning by using labels and audio visual aids in that language as is appropriate and feasible. From time to time people fluent in a pupil's first language are encouraged to visit the school.
An interpreter is invited to attend initial meetings as the need arises to ensure that parents and pupil receive important information in their first language if necessary. The sign language Makaton and the visual communication system PECS have proved to be a valuable back-up to the spoken word.
Health and safety
The school has a full-time state registered nurse who has considerable experience in dealing with pupils who have complex medical conditions. There are other members of staff with medical qualifications and the school ensures that there are staff who have first aid certificates in each class group.
Woodcroft follows strict medical procedures when handling, storing and administering medication. Parents are advised of their responsibilities in forwarding medication and relevant information to the school. If a child is unwell parents are asked to keep them at home and should a child become ill whilst at school a parent will be asked to come and collect them.
Woodcroft has adopted the Essex County Council Learning Service Health and Safety Codes of Practice to assist in the implementation of its health and safety policy.
Child protection
Woodcroft School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The head teacher is the designated person responsible for child protection and is the first point of contact. We have a child protection panel who will, in the event of concerns being raised, work with the head teacher and act in accordance with the current Essex Safeguarding Children Board's guidelines. Our child protection policy outlines the procedures to be followed.