STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

Pencalenick School is a countywide provision for pupils aged 11 – 16 with CLDD. It has a vibrant and popular residential provision which can accommodate up to 23 pupils on any night and which is open from Monday to Friday during school terms. Pupils attend for varying numbers of nights and are enabled to develop self-care and independence skills, develop social skills and learn how to make and maintain friendships, participate in ASDAN programmes in Year 10 and 11 and develop the skills to move towards adulthood.

• Many of our pupils experience long journey times to school and this can have a negative impact on their behaviour and ability to learn. Reducing the number of journeys may have positive benefits for some pupil’s learning and achievement.
• Many pupils live socially isolated lives either because of the locality of their home, because they are isolated within their community or the length of journey times to and from school leaves little time for social events and experiences. Social integration and positive relationships are an integral part of developing and sustaining good mental health and of particular importance for pupils who experience difficulties with relationships or social anxiety.  
• The Boarding provision offers the opportunity for pupils to gain ASDAN awards in Independent Living Skills, Horticulture and Cookery. This offer has previously been available to pupils in Year 10 and 11 who are already in residence. It is the intention that this will be extended to non-resident year 10 and 11 pupils who may wish to participate in the programmes.
• Full time placements may be allocated to those pupils who live long distances from school and who would be unable to travel on a daily basis. These are geographical placements and are usually requested and considered as part of the initial referral process.    
• Residential provision is sometimes provided, either full time or for shorter periods to  support pupils through emergency situations such as family breakdown, parental illness or similar difficulties.  

The aim of the residential department is to provide a stable and caring environment for all pupils, irrespective of the duration of their stay. We support pupils to :

•  Develop the Independence, Communication and Emotional skills to allow them to access education.        

• Develop social independence and to be as self-sufficient as possible. In this way we can prepare our pupils for the move into adulthood.
• Support pupils to participate in the ASDAN programmes of their choice. 
• Support and enable pupils to experience a wide and diverse range of activities and social events
• Learn how to form and maintain friendships with their peers.
• Enable them to become self advocates.
• Be part of a community that accepts and celebrates individuality and difference.

The Residential department is based in the Main school building, a beautiful Grade 2 Listed house in six acres of grounds. Pupils are accommodated across two landings, according to age and both landings are mixed sex in order to create a family type environment. In this building we :

• Have a mixture of single, double and triple rooms.
• Have lounges, games rooms and quiet areas to provide a variety of different environments according to individual pupils needs.
• Actively encourage pupils to have a say in how the provision operates and how it might be developed.
• Encourage and support pupils to develop their own interests by offering a wide range of activities
• Utilise the grounds and various areas of the school as part of an extensive activities programme
• Go out into the wider community to access beaches, the countryside and take part in community activities and events.

There are high levels of supervision and an emphasis on privacy and respect for each other. Pupils are cared for by an established and consistent team of staff, all of whom are qualified to at least Diploma level 3, and are wholly committed to ensuring that pupils are exposed to as many experiences and challenges in as safe an environment as possible.  

Staff work with Parents/Carers to assess pupils, establish their individual needs and create an Independence Plan which is specific to each child. By teaching tasks and skills in small readily achievable steps, pupils are able to see progress and, with their keyworker, to set their own targets. It is a fundamental part of our philosophy that pupils are active participants in this process and we see it as an essential part of our role that all are enabled to achieve.   

 

V3. May 2022