Penhurst School – Meeting the very special educational needs of our young people

All of the children and young people at Penhurst School have special educational needs and additional learning needs. These needs are met through the careful planning and setting of targets within the National Curriculum framework, the 16 – 19 Framework, the various specialist learning frameworks and the Individual Learning Plan (ILP) which is based on the Statement of Special Educational Need.

All lessons are differentiated to take account of specific learning needs and each pupil has a learning outcome set for each lesson. These are carefully monitored and developed as young people gain more skills. Educational and developmental issues are met individually through the setting of pupil specific targets in the Individual Learning Plan and Care Plan.

Targets set are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time limited so that progress can be accurately mapped through the school year. All aspects of care and education are assessed every half term in key and link worker meetings to ensure that all needs are being met.

Regular assessment and six monthly reviews are used to evaluate progress and set targets for subsequent development. Transitional reviews, which involve the careful planning of life after Penhurst for our students are an important part of the process of annual review.

Tutor groups are organised in parallel with the residential houses and so represent a wide age range within each group. One tutor/house group caters for the older students and this is forming the foundation of the post-19 to 25 provision which is a new and exciting development for the school.