*The Federation
Our Vision
Our Vision is a world where people with learning disabilities thrive.
Our Mission
Our Mission is to Promote the Abilities in Disability within our immediate, local and wider communities in order that our vision is realised.
We engage our communities in embracing difference, valuing individuals' worth and ensuring our pupils continue to build self-esteem and self-belief. We provide a safe learning environment to enable all pupils to grow and develop, with a commitment to providing opportunities that increase independence for every individual.
Our Values
- We look after ourselves
- We look after each other
- We look after our learning
- We look after our environment
Context
Young people starting employment now will work longer and change jobs more often – competing in what is an increasingly uncertain jobs market. We are extremely uncomfortable that up to 95% of adults with learning disabilities are neither in employment nor training and strive to be part of changing the dial on this.
In this rapidly changing world, we have identified two strategic priorities that will focus our drive on achieving our vision:
- Adapt our curricula to better ensure our children have success in adulthood
- In securing excellent progress in learning for young people, irrespective of needs or starting point, the curriculum will focus on relevance, purpose and the transitional skills required for individuals’ success in adulthood.
- Our inspirational partnerships with local, national and international organisations need maximising to create real work opportunities for our pupils to gain every advantage in the Post-16 learning and work places of our mainstream world.
- Reduce unnecessary burdens; freeing creativity, inspiration and securing quality-first teaching, thus improving job satisfaction
- Our rapidly changing cohort of children with complex SEND and mental health requires excellent CPD opportunities to support and ensure quality-first teaching, innovation and positivity.
- Opportunities for outstanding teacher-led development practices within and across our schools can be enriched through existing specialisms of the adults working here along with the increase in online training available as one of the few positive outcomes of the pandemic.
- Clarity in whole school initiatives must be determined and,
- Work/activities must be evaluated for impact and discarded where necessary/ bolstered where proven effective.
- Improved use of research and the sharing of good practices must be captured to elevate our shared passion for improvement and impactful collaborative work.
Contexts our Schools Operate Within:
Hertfordshire remains a county of contrasts – between rich and poor, rural and urban, tradition and innovation. Nearly half our pupils access free school meals with many more pupils' families unable to cope with the costs of living crisis.
Hertfordshire Indices of Deprivation
The Collett School:
Type: Foundation Special School
Site: School Owned through Foundation
Designation: Special School for children with learning disabilities including ASD, MLD, SLCN 4-16yrs
St Luke's School:
Type: Foundation Special School
Site: School Owned through Foundation
Designation: Special School for children with learning disabilities including ASD, MLD, SLCN 7-16yrs
Who We Are and What We Stand For
Our Federation consists of cross-phase Hertfordshire special schools, keen to demonstrate that school to school collaborative practice can create exceptionally successful learning communities.
OUR STAFF CULTURE |
|
|---|---|
We look after our learningProfessionalism - be reliable, do the basics, be punctual Prepared - be proactive, not reactive |
We look after each otherTeamwork - we all have a collective responsibility to support the children and each other Respectful - show respect to everyone, as a reflection of you, not them |
We look after our environmentMuck in - no job is too big or small for anyone Plant seeds - make your make and think f the wider impact. Invest in the pupils and the future of the school even if your future is not with this school. |
We look after ourselvesGrowth - be reflective, aim to be the best that you can be Positive - maintain a positive outlook and aim to find solutions to problems we identify. Always offer a helping hand, advice and a smile. |
Our Core Purpose
The Federation supports the creation of unique and remarkable schools that collaborate effectively through an ambitious attitude to learning, self-improvement and high standards.
Collaborative Practice
We are equal partners and work collaboratively to establish the best ideas. We sow seeds by grouping people together, establishing multiple aspects of shared practices across our schools and positively influence each other with what we learn. Emergent cross-school collaborations evolve through need and a desire to improve practices, reduce unnecessary workloads and sharing resources. Time and funds remain significant challenges to advancing this to the levels wanted.
10 Key Features of Our Federation
- Core Values: 'worth’, ‘happiness’, ‘independence’, ‘respect’ and ‘resilience’
- Learners: despite social background, academic starting point or vulnerability, are supported and challenged to make progress and achieve relevant knowledge and skills to equip them through childhood into adulthood.
- Leadership: shapes the culture, the strategic direction and the climate of our schools. They inspire colleagues. They are highly visible. They distribute leadership effectively and empower colleagues to innovate. They assess impact accurately and hold colleagues to account in an emotionally mature way. They are learners and seek regular feedback on the effectiveness of the leadership from pupils, staff and parents.
- Curriculum: we create a fluid response to the changing needs of cohorts, transitioning seamlessly through key stages. We prepare learners to thrive in the mainstream adult world by teaching skills required for improved independence alongside appropriate knowledge, applying learning across different contexts.
- Quality Teaching: our teachers design learning. They are adept in planning lessons to sequence learning. Lessons and schemes of work have clear purpose to ensure each learner can problem solve, work with less reliance on adults, collaborate in teams, create new things, demonstrate what they have learnt, reflect on how to do even better.
- Climate for learning: we create a climate to flourish in. Learners feel safe, are rewarded for effort, achievement, attendance and positive behaviours. They respect and contribute to our communities positively.
- Staff welfare & professional development: is evident through our people feeling inspired by daily successes and experiences that are confirmed in the expression of job satisfaction and realisation that their work has life changing potential. Their work-life balance is improving with dedicated time to work collaboratively. Their professional development is paramount and stems from self-reflection, informed CPD and effective teamwork. We seek to identify talent and enrich this.
- Parents and Carers: are actively supported to be involved in the school. They are key partners in supporting their child’s learning. We communicate effectively with them and encourage them to visit school regularly to discuss their child’s achievements and to see them exhibit their learning and work.
- Data: is used across the Federation to gather appropriate information so as to systematically and accurately inform learning development for pupil and staff learners as well as maximise efficiencies.
- School effectiveness: each school is cost-effective, links successfully to shared service developments and are legally compliant in all aspects including safeguarding.