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St John Bosco Arts College

St John Bosco is an exciting, vibrant and dynamic girls’ Catholic comprehensive school which has a very distinctive Salesian ethos grounded in support, care and a warm friendly atmosphere.

We believe in developing a rounded individual so that students are prepared for life academically, spiritually, morally and socially. In our school community we seek to nurture the gifts, dreams and talents of all in the spirit of St John Bosco.

The college is at the cutting edge of teaching and learning and thrives on providing the best opportunities to the young people that it serves and is one of only 835 schools in England granted teaching school status

St John Bosco Arts College has a reputation for excellence and is the only secondary, National Teaching School in Liverpool. The school is one of 87 of the best schools and multi-academy trusts in the country to be designated as a Teaching School Hub from September 2021, meaning it is a centre of excellence for teacher training and development.

 

Who to contact

Telephone
E-mail
enquiries@stjohnbosco.org.uk
Website
School web site

Where to go

Address
61 Storrington Avenue
Croxteth, Liverpool
Postcode
L11 9DQ

Time / Date Details

Time of day
Afternoon
Morning

Local Offer

Description

Description

1. How does the school know if young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?

Some of our staff meet with primary school teachers before your child joins the school to discuss the needs of each child. The SENDCO will meet with other primary school SENDCOs in the summer term to discuss individual student’s needs. The Pupil Progress Co-ordinator for Year 7 and/or the Primary Transition Officer will also meet with your child’s class teacher. The progress that your child makes will be monitored throughout their time at St John Bosco and interventions are put in place if children do not make progress.

Teachers and support staff will share any concerns regarding the progress a student is making, with the SEND Department and Pupil Progress Coordinator. The SENDCO will look at the student’s data and may carry out some informal assessments. She will also contact parents or carers of the student. If parents or carers have concerns they should contact the SEND Department.

 2. How will school staff support my child?

If your child has additional needs, she will be supported by the college’s SENDCO who works closely with the Pupil Progress Co-ordinators for Years 7 to 13. The role of the SENDCO and PPC is in part to provide academic and pastoral support for your child.  Your child might work with the SEND Teaching Assistants or SENDCO in small group intervention lessons. The SENDCO and subject leaders will monitor the progress of your child to ensure that the most appropriate intervention is being given to meet their needs.

3. How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?

At St John Bosco Arts College we recognise that children need to learn in an environment that matches their needs. We understand that the students we teach have different learning styles and that some students learn at a different pace to their peers. The teachers plan lessons giving consideration to the student’s ability and needs, in order to help them to make progress and achieve good outcomes. It also allows the pace of the lesson to be appropriately matched to the learner’s needs, so that progress can be made. Teachers will adapt the curriculum in order to meet the needs of any young people who have a special educational need. Your child’s progress will be monitored closely in a number of ways:

  • marking of class and homework,
  • end of unit assessments,
  • formal end of term reports.

There will be opportunities for you to discuss this at Parent’s Evenings with your child’s form tutor and subject teachers.

 4. What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?

There are many ways in which your child’s wellbeing will be supported. Our college has a strong pastoral team who will provide help and guidance for students. This team includes the form tutor, Pupil Progress Coordinator, the Head of Care and Safeguarding, the school chaplain, manager of the Laura Vicuna Centre and manager of The Oratory. If necessary the Pupil Progress Coordinator will inform staff of any needs your child may have on a Pastoral Care Register. Break and lunch time clubs are available for those students who prefer a quieter space to sit during these social times, which are supervised by a member of staff. If your child has medical needs you may be invited into the college along with the relevant member of staff from health services to discuss your child’s Medical Plan with our medical office. Parents of pupils who need to take medication during the school day, will have to complete the necessary paperwork held at the school office. All medication is kept and accounted for in our purpose built medical room, in line with the school’s medical policy.

Your child will have the opportunity and be encouraged to contribute their point of view through Pupil Voice activities and the student council.

 5. What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?

The college has close links with outside agencies that can support the needs of the students. The college accesses specialist services when appropriate. These include:-

  • SENISS
  • The Sensory Service for students with a hearing or visual impairment
  • The Educational Psychology Service
  • Speech and Language Therapists
  • Physiotherapists
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Young Person’s Advisory Service (YPAS)
  • Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS),
  • Education Welfare,
  • Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Service (EMTAS).
  • Purple Circle Autism Consultancy.

 6. 

 

  1. What training are the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had or having?

 The college ensures that staff are trained to support children and young people with SEND. This training has covered issues such as:-

Autistic Spectrum Conditions

ADHD/ADD

 Dyslexia

 Hearing and Visual Impairments

 Medical conditions: - asthma, epilepsy, diabetes

 Whole school literacy and numeracy strategies

 Metacognition.

De-escalation.

First aid training has been undertaken by a number of staff in the college and is revisited and updated regularly. Designated teachers within the college are involved in regular safeguarding training.

 7. How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?

 The college promotes a widely inclusive curriculum in which attendance at extra-curricular activities at lunch and after school is encouraged. For some students it may be necessary for a member of staff to complete a risk assessment with contribution from parents to make sure all areas of health and safety are covered before particular activities can take place. A school risk assessment supported by parental consultation, maybe implemented in some instances, to ensure that health and safety statutes are met.

 8.How accessible is the school?

 Our school has been designed to ensure ease of access for people with a disability. This includes:-

 Wheelchair access

 Disabled changing and toilet facilities

 A shower room

 An operational lift

 A loop system for people with hearing impairments.

8. How will the school support my child to join the school and how will the school support my child in transferring to the next stage of education?

Within the school, a team of staff will work with your child’s primary school prior to starting in September. During the final term in primary school, taster days are organised for your child to support the transition to their new school. This visit includes taster classes and activities designed to allow your child to get to know some of their new teachers and make new friends. The college also has a transition programme, organised by the chaplain, for students who may find the move to secondary school especially challenging.

 If your child has an Education, Health Care Plan, transition to our school will be carefully managed. Work then begins in Year 9 to support students as they move to Key Stage 4. A final review in Year 11 for students with an EHCP will take place regardless of whether they opt for sixth form, alternative colleges, or work based provision.

9. How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to a child’s or young person’s special needs?

The allocation of resources is decided upon the needs of individual students. It is part of the SENDCOs and Senior Leadership’s responsibility to work with other members of staff within the college to ensure that students who require specific support and interventions are having their needs met. With regards to the SEND budget, any decisions made are done so in collaboration with the Senior Leadership Team, the Head teacher and school Governors.

10.How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child receives?

 On entry into Year 7, students will complete baseline tests and Cognitive Ability Tests to identify those who may need additional support. This information is used by the SENDCO and key members of staff, who then make a decision on the appropriate type of support that is needed. This may include small group intervention delivered by the SEND TAs or SENDCo, pastoral support from the Pastoral team or specialist outreach support. Interventions are regularly assessed to ensure that the appropriate level of support is maintained. The progress of all pupils is tracked closely throughout the academic year.

11. How are parents involved in the school? How can I be involved?

Before a child begins Year 7 at St John Bosco Arts College, parents are requested to attend an ‘Intake Evening Meeting’ in June prior to the September start. For Year 7 parents, a parent’s evening is held in October/November time, to provide an opportunity for parents to meet their child’s form tutor.

Parents are invited to annual Parent’s Evenings to meet with their child’s teachers to discuss progress. For students with SEND, parents can contact the college’s SENDCO to discuss any specific concerns they may have and she will be available at Year 7 Parent’s Evening. In addition to this, there may be the opportunity to seek election as a Parent Governor or to join the Parents Teacher Association.

12. Who can I contact for further information?

For further information, parents are encouraged to contact school and /or visit the school website for further information: www.stjohnboscoartscollege.com or Telephone 0151 330 5142. The SENDCO is Mrs I Clarke-Halewood and they can be contacted via the college’s main telephone number.

If you are considering whether you would like your child to join this college, contact the Transition Coordinator or Mrs Roberts, Deputy Headteacher, who will answer your questions, arrange for you to visit the college or assist with any admission enquiries.

The Local Offer can be found on the liverpool.gov.uk website as part of the Family Services

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact Name
Mrs I Clarke-Halewood
Contact Telephone
0151 330 5142
Contact Email
enquiries@stjohnbosco.org.uk
Links
SEND Information Report
Local Offer Age Bands
Young Adults (16 to 25)
Secondary (11 to 16)
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