Glebe School - Prospectus 2023

Glebe School PROSPECTUS

CELEBRATION

Sharing our success to instil confidence and pride

COLLABORATION

Working together to achieve COMPASSION

Understanding and supporting the suffering of others

COURAGE

Embracing challenges and difficulties

CURIOSITY

A desire to learn more

WELCOME

Welcome to our prospectus and to Glebe, a Special Educational Needs school that caters to students with a range of Moderate & Complex Learning Needs.

Our mission is to ensure that all our students are educated to live their lives independently, responsibly and successfully. We are aspirational for our students and firmly believe that the development of character goes hand in hand with academic achievement in order to attain life-long success.

Our family ethos and broad curriculum gives every student the opportunity to fulfil their potential. The curriculum is regularly reviewed and tailored to the needs of our students - subjects such as Sport, Music, Drama, Art and Food Technology sit alongside the core subjects of English, Maths and Science. These are supported by an array of co-curricular activities, clubs, trips and residential visits, as well as Speech & Language and Occupational Therapy support.

The staff at Glebe School are experienced and have the highest of expectations, shaping a culture where our students feel valued, nurtured and respected. Consequently, students make exceptional progress from their starting points.

The prospectus will hopefully give you a flavour of what we can offer our students and we very much look forward to welcoming you to the school.

Mr I Travis Headteacher

PARTNERSHIPS

The positive partnership between home and school is something we are firmly committed to. Co-operation between parents and teachers is essential in aiding a child’s ability to progress at school. With shared expectations, we can enhance the quality of education and achieve high standards.

Throughout the school year, there are regular opportunities to meet with your child’s teachers to speak about their progress and targets - Form Tutors and Head of Year will always respond to any queries you may have. We keep you up to date with regular academic reports, as well as more general termly newsletters. Urgent information and updates are sent via e-mail and our school communication app.

We proudly work with a range of different agencies, from Local Authorities to The Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, Challenge Partners, Bromley NHS and many different schools, colleges and employers. We believe that these partnerships are critical for the students as it enables them to receive a range of interventions to support their progress.

We hold regular tours of the school and encourage all prospective parents/carers to visit. Attendance is by appointment only - available dates are updated regularly on our website.

ADMISSIONS

Admissions to Glebe School are governed by the Special Educational Needs & Disability Code of Practice. Students must have an Education, Health & Care Plan that indicates a placement at Glebe may be appropriate before admission will be considered.

The Bromley SEN Department will then ask us whether or not we feel that we are able to meet your child’s needs. To determine this, your referral is considered by senior staff and where possible, we will visit your child at their current school. Once we have decided whether or not we think we are a suitable placement for your child, we will then inform the Local Authority of the outcome. Following confirmation that the Local Authority will accept financial responsibility for the placement, a transition plan is then developed with a mutually agreed start date.

CURRICULUM

At Glebe we offer a curriculum that is exciting, rich, broad and balanced.

Designed to develop students’ skills regardless of their starting points, our curriculum builds secure foundations that will prepare them for the next stage of their education journey and beyond. Our teaching and learning provides students with the tools to become confident, responsible individuals who are sure of their abilities.

Lessons are engaging, calm and suitably personalised - teachers plan learning with enough challenge and support to allow students to work independently, whilst also enabling them to achieve and progress. Curriculum/Subject Leaders are experts in their field and carefully monitor and review curriculum areas to ensure that students understand a wide range of topics within a subject.

In Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9), students follow a secondary curriculum of core and foundations subjects taught by specialist teachers. In Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11) alongside the core curriculum, students have the opportunity to choose their own personal pathway. Whatever they chose, all subjects lead to accredited qualifications. These range from GCSEs to alternative accreditations such as BTEC and Entry Level. In order to help prepare them for life beyond school and to aid in their respective career choices, we also offer KS4 students work experience placement in Year 11.

THE WIDER CURRICULUM

As well as the national curriculum, we also offer an extensive, carefully considered wider curriculum. We strongly believe that learning is not purely academic, and to enrich our students’ time with us they must experience different learning opportunities in tandem.

Our Wider Curriculum helps support the development of resilience, self-esteem, problem solving, communication, social skills and independence. Its impact is far reaching, helping to prepare students for life beyond school.

The enrichment of the curriculum comes in many forms. From school trips and community visits to Lunchtime Clubs and Peer Mentoring programmes; we have a House system that promotes recognition and celebration of achievement and host numerous events throughout the year, ranging from Drama Productions and Sports Day to following nationally calendared events such as Black History month. An active Student Committee is the voice of the student body, integral to decisions made across the school.

At Glebe we do everything we can to ensure a well-rounded, full offering of experiences and opportunities for all our students, regardless of age or ability.

TRANSITION

Transition from Primary to Secondary school can be difficult and very stressful for both students and parents. We understand that with our students’ additional needs, moving to a new educational setting needs to be done in stages and over a period of time.

The first stage of this process starts with our Head of Year 7 visiting your child’s primary school to meet with their SENCo, where they will gather any additional relevant information. Our HoY will also meet with your child to explain the transition process and answer any questions they may have. These visits usually take place in the first half of the summer term.

All new Year 7 students are then invited to Glebe for two short introductory visits. These visits give them the opportunity to familiarise themselves with their new environment, meet their peers and key members of staff. Activities around change, emotions and social skills are emphasised in order to help students adjust as much as possible.

The final step is Induction Day. This is a taster of what students will experience when they start at Glebe in September. They have the opportunity to take part in some of their upcoming lessons and will socialise with the wider school community during break and lunch times. Induction Day also includes a Parents’ Evening for new Year 7 parents. This is an opportunity for you to meet your child’s Form Tutor and other key members of staff, as well as ask any questions you may have at this point.

We also offer the chance for your child to attend Year 7 Summer School. This is a one-to-two week programme run in early August where new students are given the chance to gain a more in depth experience of life at Glebe without the pressures of term-time.

IN YEAR TRANSITION

In Year Transition is the term used when a placement is offered at Glebe School to a student at any point in their Secondary education other than at the start of Year 7.

In cases like these, the transition process depends on the nature of the student’s needs and individual circumstances, and so are approached on a case by case basis.

MOVING ON TO FURTHER EDUCATION

The transition to Further Education or Specialist Provision can be a daunting experience, it is our aim as a school to ensure that students are prepared to meet this challenge by the time they leave us.

Although this preparation starts as soon as they join Glebe, from Year 9 onwards it becomes more focussed. Students are given the opportunity to meet with a qualified Careers Advisor, and in KS4 parts of the curriculum start to look at practical skills such as how to apply to colleges, how to write a CV and learning skills/techniques for job interviews. Students take part in regular Transitional Reviews throughout their time at Glebe - these are linked to their Education, Health & Care Plan to ensure the best possible support for their onward journey.

In Year 11, students attend taster ‘Link’ courses at Bromley College once a week. This gives them the opportunity to experience college life and try various vocational subjects such as Mechanics and Horticulture. Work Experience is also a valuable tool in helping prepare students for life after Glebe. Towards the end of the academic year, local businesses and charities offer the opportunity for Year 11 students to gain practical experience and an insight into the world of work with a two-week Work Experience placement.

Every year we host the New Choices Evening for students in Years 9-14 and their families, an event where local colleges and support agencies gather and are available to talk through the many options open to students after secondary school. We work closely with SEN coordinators in Bromley to support each stage of transition and to ensure that all EHC plans are a true reflection of the student, guaranteeing that all our young people are able to move on to post-16 Further Education.

PROVISIONS

THE SIXTH FORM

Glebe’s Sixth Form is a post-16 provision for students not yet ready to make the transition to college or other further education.

The Sixth Form takes a holistic approach to learning whilst still holding academic success as a core value. The small size of the provision allows for the curriculum to be tailored to the needs of each student. Here, they are equipped with accredited, recognised qualifications which will help them take their next steps - whether this is to mainstream further education courses, a traineeship or specialist college placement.

Preparing for the future is a fundamental part of Sixth Form and is embedded in all lessons, from developing functional English and Maths skills in real world situations to lessons on employability. Alongside functional core subjects, students also choose from a variety of Option subjects, all of which are nationally recognised vocationallyfocussed qualifications.

The Sixth Form promotes independence and responsibility throughout every aspect of a student’s time in the provision. There are Volunteering and Mentoring programs, as well as official job opportunities within the Sixth Form. These are positions of responsibility that students must apply and interview for, further enforcing the practical skills they will need when they move on.

Our Sixth Formers take pride in being role models for the lower school and are encouraged to find satisfaction in achieving, whether it be academically or personally. Our aim is to equip them with the necessary skills to achieve their full potential when they leave us.

THE DEN

The Den is a specialist provision for students in Years 7-11 with additional complex needs, providing focused support where they may otherwise struggle within the main body of the school.

The Den is made up of three tutor groups, with specialist teachers and smaller class sizes. Alongside an adapted curriculum, significant emphasis is placed on functional life skills that will allow students to achieve the greatest degree of independence possible.

Strategies such as Social Stories, Makaton, comic strips, modelling, transition boards and self-regulation visuals are used to encourage students to take responsibility for their learning and behaviour. Focus is placed on developing daily living skills in all subjects - everything from using money to personal hygiene and safety.

Regular Speech & Language Therapy allows students to develop functional communication, whilst weekly Music Therapy sessions and Occupational Therapy interventions all help develop selfregulation, self-management, social and fine motor skills.

Appropriate integration is also a focus for students in the Den. Students join their peers in the main body of the school for break/lunch times, clubs and assemblies. Where appropriate, some students may join other lessons within the main school. As part of their rich curriculum, Den students also take Art, Music and Design Technology lessons with specialist teachers.

In Year 10 & 11 students work towards vocational qualifications in a variety of subjects.