Achieve economic wellbeing
Parents of students aged 16, 17 and 18 are encouraged to apply for Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) with telephone support to complete application forms.
The school offers a comprehensive package of services included within the school fees. This includes the cost of school trips, any entry fees to community resources such as swimming baths, National Trust properties, museums etc. In the past, some parents have actively expressed a wish to contribute towards the cost of activities such as residential experiences away from the school, for example residential trips to outdoor centres, and the school will always gratefully accept these and put them towards the cost of “extras” for such a trip, but there is absolutely no obligation to make such payments.
All our residential pupils and students live in the school’s residential houses scattered across our parkland campus. Every pupil has their own individual bedroom, which we encourage parents to individualise. The school is able to make available a semi-detached house ( due for refurbishment during 2007) and also a separate en-suite bedroom facility, both located on the campus, for the use of parents coming to stay with us. There is a small charge for the use of these facilities to help cover cleaning costs etc. The David Lewis Centre, of which the school is a part, has its own static caravans at a holiday site in North Wales.
The school is aware of the need to prepare pupils for their adult lives. This is a major focus of the work of the “16 Plus” department of the school. Nearly half the pupils attending the school attend this department, and each year a number of post-16 pupils join the department from other schools. The 16 Plus department follows a separate nationally-accredited course, developed by MENCAP for use in residential settings. The classroom and house teams work in partnership across the extended school day to ensure consistency of expectation and maximum progress. All pupils are offered work experience, which may be on or off-site depending on individual need and ability. The department has a very active “Team Enterprise” working party, which has achieved regional recognition for the quality of the experience and outcomes for participating students. Students are encouraged to attend their Statutory Annual Reviews wherever possible and to make their preferences known. Where this may be beyond their abilities, and this is the case for many students, staff will present photo-stories to explain their achievements, and will advocate for them regarding future choices.
The school endeavours to support parents through the difficult period of “Transition” that follows the end of a students time at the school. School staff have written “Moving On”, a small guide to inform all parties involved in this transition of the options available post-19, and the processes of application and transition. The booklet includes a list of useful contacts for colleges, and also for access to benefits.
