Lancashire Special educational needs and disabilities - local offer

The link to Lancashire County Council's local offer can be found here.

 

Our School Local Offer

West Lancashire Community High School is a secondary generic learning difficulties specialist school for students age  11-19 years with a wide range of learning difficulties, including, ASD, PMLD, SLD, MLD, HI, and VI.

The school can provide the following:

Accessibility and Inclusion

  • The school is all on one floor, with excellent security and is totally accessible for wheelchairs. There is disabled parking, toilets and dedicated hygiene facilities . There is also a state of the art immersive room and separate therapy room including specialist assistive technology and equipment.
  • All our policies are available from school, statutory policies are available on our website here. They can be made available in any font size as requested. There are also translation facilities available to support parents.
  • There is also specially adapted furniture available to meet individual student needs.

Teaching and Learning

  • All students transition to West Lancashire Community High School with an Education Health and Care Plan.  Once in school students are regularly assessed and the outcomes are reported through their annual review of needs.
  • In the classroom we have Teaching Assistants who support students both academically and physically to meet their individual needs.
  • We currently have a Speech and Language Therapist and an assistant who support students with language and communication needs. 
  • We access the school nurse through the NHS.
  • We have our own Occupational Therapist but are also well served by NHS occupational therapists and physiotherapists.  Other specialist services, such as visual or hearing impairment support are commissioned as needed. 
  • The curriculum is designed to meet the variety of levels of need and is organised in three strands; Explorer, Engager and Challenger.
  • Students are entered for a wide range of accredited subjects in Key Stage 4 and 5. At Key Stage 4 and 5 students have the opportunity for work experience and a weekly college link. Work Experience is offered in a wide range of settings including our own horticulture provision which includes a greenhouse and extensive outdoor areas. 
  • In Key Stage 5, students follow ASDAN personal development programme. In this extended provision students follow work experience, college link, Duke of Edinburgh and school based work every week, including functional English and maths.
  • Educational and community visits play a huge part in the learning of our students. Visits are linked to curriculum, personal learning goals and wellbeing.
  • A residential experience is also part of our provision and all students should have the opportunity for a visit during their time in the school.
  • Parents are welcomed to annual reviews and a parents evening each year. Additionally we have an open door policy for contact with the Headteacher who will discuss issues and arrange for appropriate staff to meet with parents as appropriate.

Reviewing and Evaluating Outcomes

  • Annual reviews of Education Health Care Plans and Children Looked After reviews are held on an annual cycle although arrangements can be made for interim meetings as appropriate.
  • Care and support plans are also reviewed and student’s progress is tracked to ensure that the impact of the provision is appropriate.

Keeping Children Safe

  • At the beginning and end of the school day most students arrive and depart on dedicated Lancashire transport. Students are met from and escorted to the buses in an orderly manner.  There are designated areas for drop off and pick up where the students are safe from other traffic. 
  • Each Key Stage has their own designated leisure area for playtimes. At lunchtimes clubs are provided where there is close supervision of the students.
  • Risk assessments of the environment are carried out by staff regularly overseen by Headteacher and School Business Manager.  Individual student risk assessments take the form of care and support plans and are carried out by teaching staff. All visits are risk assessed by staff and overseen by an Educational Visits Coordinator.
  • We have a policy for Care and Control of pupils, a Discipline Policy and an Anti- Bullying Policy. These should be read together and are available on the website.

Health including Emotional Health and Wellbeing

  • Parents complete a medication form for students prior to their arrival at school. This includes medication they take at home (useful if they need to go to hospital if they have an accident in school) and any long term and short term prescriptive medication we are to give  These forms are updated annually. Medication is always administered by two staff who countersign to ensure accuracy.
  • In the event of a student having a condition such as epilepsy we draw up a care plan with parents/carers, specialist nurse and school. This will include any rescue procedures. The plans are different for each student in line with the type and pattern of their condition. All our staff have had training in the management of epilepsy. This is provided by the specialist nurse.
  • In the event of an emergency our staff have had first aid training. Any incident which requires further treatment is dealt with by calling an ambulance. At that point parents will also be contacted so that they can meet us at the hospital. A member of the school staff will always travel in the ambulance with the student.
  • All staff have a comprehensive training programme covering care and education issues. These will be provided by specialists in the individual area.

Communication with parents

  • Most information required by parents is available on the school website.
  • Some students also have a Home School Link book.
  • There is one telephone number for the school. Parents can contact the Headteacher directly for any educational/pastoral issues or the office for any other school related issues.
  • We have an Open Door Policy for the Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher who will then make the information known to any teacher with information on that topic. They will usually ring back within the day. 
  • Any person in the area who is interested in viewing the school, perhaps for a prospective place in the future can ask for a visit. They will be shown around the school and any queries will be answered.
  • Feedback from both parents and students is gathered regularly. This is collated and we respond to issues as appropriate.

Working Together

  • We have an active School Council and have had representatives on the Youth Parliament. Every class has an elected representative who is voted for. We also have an Eco Council and Prefects. The School Council make contributions to decisions such as appointments and changes around school. They have also contributed to many LA information gathering exercises.
  • We have opportunities through annual questionnaires for parents and students to share their views. 
  • The Governing Body receive information from a wide range of organisations.

What help and support is available for for the family?

  • The Headteacher is able to assist with documentation, or arranging for another staff member to assist. The Headteacher will also support as appropriate any requests from benefits offices at the parents request.
  • Our Key Stage Leaders and Family Liaison Officer co-ordinates all transition arrangements and information sharing. 

Transition from Primary School and School Leavers

  • School will attend transition reviews at primary school once the school has been identified. A full induction programme is offered to all new students.  In July two or three full days can be spent in school in preparation for entrance full time. A member of staff has responsibility for y6/7 transfer. Visits are differentiated according to individual need.
  • All students have access to career guidance through lessons. 
  • We hold transition coffee mornings regularly and a transition event in addition to the review and parents evenings. 

Extra Curriculum Activities

  • All students have access to lunchtime clubs which are provided in school.
  • We have a range of after school clubs and other activities throughout the year. 
  • All students have the opportunity to attend a residential experience at some point during their school life.  
  • Social interaction is at the forefront of education at this school. It is based on appropriate communication and is consolidated in lunchtime activities and conduct around the school. Students are given continual opportunity to work with friends, communicate appropriately with friends and staff and visitors to the school.