Admission & Work with Permanently Excluded Secondary or Primary pupils to The Helix

• Referrals of Permanently Excluded pupils (Secondary or primary pupils) are received from the Harrow Local Authority Admissions officers.
• A Home Visit is made by our Transition Support Officer (TSO) to introduce the works of the Helix Education Centre (The Helix) to the parents/carers and pupils, and to answer any question the pupil and parents/carers might have about our support work and means by which pupils could return back to Mainstream or Special school
• Admissions induction attendance date at The Helix site is agreed.

• The pupil and parents/carers are met initially by the TSO and asked to complete a questionnaire (one by the pupil & another by the parents/carers) about what they might know or heard about The Helix, and about their initial views held about us (us this link to see some of the parents/carers views: some of the parents/carers views: [NB: Link to be added shortly])
• The TSO completes the Admissions documents for the pupil and answers any further questions.
• The Headteacher joins the meeting and explains further how we support the pupil to develop the required Behaviour for Learning necessary for their acceptance back to Mainstream Education via the Harrow School’s Manage Move Panel, once they have been with us for a minimum period of 6 weeks and met their Behaviour for Learning Targets (minimum of 6 weeks is required to show consistency in demonstrating the required behaviour for Learning).
• The Headteacher would then ask the pupil about their recollection and views or reasons for the reported behaviours that had led to the pupil’s permanent exclusion. The Head is none – critical in his questioning of the pupil and attempts to get the pupil’s and parents’ views of the reported behaviours. The Head also highlights the positive behaviour reports whenever received from the school and feeds back to the pupil & parents the initial perceptions of the pupil’s interaction at his or her school drawn from the behaviours presented, and the pupil’s responses to them. The overall aim of the questioning is to determine the pupil’s views and feelings about their education at their Mainstream school with the intention to identify the possible causes or triggers of the pupil’s reported attitude & behaviours, and feeds back to the pupil & parents the initial perceptions of the pupil’s interaction at his or her school; drawn from the behaviours presented, and the pupil’s responses to them.
• The Head completes an ‘Initial Needs’ form stating the behaviours discussed, the pupil’s responses.
• The Headteacher then presents and explains the rational for the expected behaviour conduct of pupils attending the Helix.
• The pupil and parents/carers are then shown around the school to see the environment, the pupils in lessons and movement around the school if the visit occurs during the school break period.
• The pupil and parents/carers are then introduced to the Office Manager; who takes a picture of the pupil for the school’s administration files. The pupil is then introduced to the Attendance officer who gives the pupil the Helix Uniform, explains the Helix attendance procedures, particularly the requirement for phone communication on any day that the pupil has not arrived on time, and on any day that the pupil should need to leave the Helix premises before the end of the school day. Lastly, the registration process is explained: pupils hand in their mobile phone, expected correct uniform checked, they then choose their lunch for the day, their belongings placed and locked in their lockers, and they either attend Breakfast Club from 8.30am or attend their lessons from 9am.

• The pupil completes an initial Diagnostic Assessment of the core subject (English, Maths, & Science) using the GL assessment programme. It highlights the areas of subject strength and areas for development, thus showing the gaps in the pupil’s knowledge & skills for the respective core subjects. The results of the assessments are used by the teaching staff to plan differentiated access (whenever necessary) for the pupil to access the learning in each subject. The Teachers meet with the Education support Worker (ESWs / Teaching Assistants) to identify the barriers to Learning of each pupil, and to plan with the pupil the best means of enabling each one to access the topics of each subject.
• The pupil is allocated a class group in accord with his or her age or (well-being or sensitivities) and introduced to the class group leaders. The pupil is also allocated a keyworker (by the SENCO) with whom the pupil is expected to meet with at least once a week (whenever possible) to discuss ways of ensuring the following: The pupil’s well-being (with the question “How are you getting on/feeling being at The Helix?”); “How are you getting on with other pupils and Staff?; “how are you getting with the lessons, work given…?; and lastly “How are you managing your attendance & punctuality?) ‘Okay’ responses are celebrated and concerning responses are explored and support strategies explored, agreed, implemented and reviewed at follow-up keyworker& key-pupil meetings.
• The Key worker uses the Initial Assessment of Needs stated from the Induction meeting to list the Behaviour for Learning (BfL) Targets to be achieved by the pupil with staff support. The targets are shared with the parents/carers.
• The Keyworker reports to the parents/carers at least once a week, or within 2 weeks, the progress made by the pupil, or to discuss any other issues or targets needing new strategies to be agreed with the parents/carer to further aid the pupil to achieve the targets.
• From the 2nd week of the pupil’s admission, the Keyworker completes an Education progression Plan (EPP) to produce a Behaviour for Learning Profile. When able to, the pupil might be asked to complete their own profile in addition to the profile produced by The Helix staff following their end of 2nd week observation of the pupil’s quality of BfL. The BfL profile is used to produce a further BfL support plan with which additional support strategies are implemented to progress the pupil’s initial BfL profile to stage 5 which is the ideal example of expected BfL in Mainstream schools and Tertiary or Further Education (like 6th form or college). The pupil’s BfL profile is reviewed half termly for progress, for celebration of achievement, and for identification of targets for further development support.
• During the pupil’s lessons, should he or she act against what they have been expected to do and are clearly disrupting their own learning and that of the class, then the group leader or the will record the situation on our ABC (Antecedent – Behaviour – Consequence (outcome/impact) record form. This is used to produce a record of a pattern of behaviour to be addressed with the pupil to support the progress of their BfL.

• When the pupil is reported by the keyworker to be on track to achieving success in meeting their BfL targets, the keyworker will inform the SENCO and opinion of the staff to agree to inform the Headteacher that our Manage Move documentation to evidence the pupil’s consistency in meeting the targets to address the behaviours for which he or she was excluded from their Mainstream or Special school.
• The completed Manage Move documents, with the consent of the pupil (including the pupil’s Personal Statement of Progress), parents/carer is submitted to the Headteacher and presented to the Manage Move Panel on the next date specified, throughout the academic year. The pupils Manage Move BfL evidence submission is assessed and interrogated by members of the Manage Move Panel and a decision to accept and allocate the next school on the Manage Move School admission rota is made. It must be noted that the pupil or parents are not allowed a choice of school when the pupil’s offer of a return back to mainstream school is made. Choice of a school is only given to pupils moving on to new Special schools allocated by the Harrow Special Education Needs Service (SENARS).
• Once offered a school via the Manage Move Panel, the pupil or parents are informed that a school has been allocated, but not given the name of the school until the local authority admissions office has confirmed acceptance of the admission of the pupil to the allocated school; once done the pupil, parents/carer and The Helix school staff are informed.
• The Helix TSO will then transfer the pupil’s school files from The Helix to the allocated school, and admission date arranged with the pupil, parents and new school; support by The Helix TSO at the meeting.
• Once the pupil is admitted to the new school, THE Helix TSO will meet with the pupil once a week at the school for a period of a minimum of 6 weeks to support the pupil’s integration to the school. The TSO checks with the pupil on each visit the same matters at checked by The Helix keyworkers, and more on issues on this occasion faced by the pupil at the new school. The TSO will then liaise with the relevant new school staff (ranging from the Headteacher, teachers, pastoral support staff, etc) to address the support needs of the pupil at the new school.
• Lastly, the TSO would monitor over a period of two terms that the pupil is settled at the school to comply with our success indicator of the effectiveness of our support interventions for preparing pupils to develop the expected standard of Behaviour for Learning. It must be noted that we have a success rate of over 90% in enabling pupils to transfer successfully back to school.

• Referral is received directly from Harrow Secondary & Primary Schools. A Helix ‘Buy-back’ form is used in which the school specifies the number of days or duration of time they would like the respite for. The reasons for the Respite placement and expected outcomes are sort, as well as the work to be done during the duration of the Respite Placement. Review periods of the Respite Placement are then agreed (usually in 2 weeks intervals or half termly). The pupil and parents are contacted by the Helix TSO and induction date agreed.

• The pupil and parents/carers are met initially by the TSO and asked to complete a questionnaire (one by the pupil & another by the parents/carers) about what they might know or heard about The Helix, and about their initial views held about us (us link this link to see some of the parents/carers views: [NB: Link to be added shortly])
• The TSO completes the Admissions documents for the pupil and answers any further questions.
• The Headteacher joins the meeting and explains further how we support the pupil to develop the required Behaviour for Learning necessary for their successful return back to school with the period of time to be spent with us.
• The Headteacher would then ask the pupil about their recollection and views or reasons for the reported behaviours that had led to the pupil’s Respite referral. The Head is none – judgemental in his questioning of the pupil and attempts to get the pupil’s and parents’ views of the reported behaviours. The Head also highlights the positive behaviour reports whenever received from the school. The overall aim of the questioning is to determine the pupil’s views and feelings about their education at their Mainstream school with the intention to identify the possible causes or triggers of the pupil’s reported attitude & behaviours.
• The Head completes an ‘Initial Needs’ form stating the behaviours discussed, the pupil’s responses. The Headteacher then presents and explains the rational for the expected behaviour conduct of pupils attending the Helix.
• The pupil and parents/carers are then shown around the school to see the environment, the pupils in lessons and movement around the school if the visit occurs during the school break period.
• The pupil and parents/carers are then introduced to the Office Manager; who takes a picture of the pupil for the school’s administration files. The pupil is then introduced to the Attendance officer who gives the pupil the Helix Uniform, explains the Helix attendance procedures, particularly the requirement for phone communication on any day that the pupil has not arrived on time, and on any day that the pupil should need to leave the Helix premises before the end of the school day. Lastly, the registration process is explained: pupils hand in their mobile phone, expected correct uniform checked, they then choose their lunch for the day, their belongings placed and locked in their lockers, and they either attend Breakfast Club from 8.30am or attend their lessons from 9am.
• The pupil’s work are either brought to The Helix as hard copies by their school staff or sent via email. Alternatively, the school request for the pupil to join in with each of The Helix lessons.
• The completed work is sent back to the school to be marked when provided by them, or marked by The Helix Teachers when set by them.
• Daily attendance is reported to the school as well as any suspension issued.

• A final report of the pupil’s needs, support and progress is produced for the school at the end of the Respite Placement.
• On this occasion, our TSO does not offer a 6 week support as offered to permanently excluded pupils.

• Notification of pupils coming in via Paediatric MDT, Spinal MDT or Shoulder Team MDT (usually 2-11 days notice)
• School situation discussed at pre-admission appointment by Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNS) or Pre-Assessment Nurses- cancer, spinal, upper limb and limb reconstruction
• Permission to contact school sought by CNSs and shared
• School contacted to discuss:
• Curriculum to be taught during admission and how received e.g. portal, email, books, etc.
• Pupil progress and attainment levels
• Current attendance situation
• Any safeguarding concerns
• Any additional information the school want to share
• Full contact details shared with school for continuing communication throughout admission

• Pupil arrives on the ward, is met by teachers and inducted into how we work and support provided • Timetables for lessons are shared with pupil, parent, ward team and therapists- usually prepared the Friday before- spinal and shoulder patients only
• If school details not previously provided, then school is contacted immediately

• CuNB - Curriculum coverage often reduced to National Curriculum core subjects due to pressure on timetable from therapies
• Weekly dialogue between RNOH and ‘home’ school; more often if required from both sides. Feedback provided on curriculum coverage, pupil’s ability to manage school work in view of medical and mental health challenges, negotiate reasonable adjustments to amount of work pupil can complete, share pupil fears and worries about missing school and returning
• Discussion with ‘home’ school and medical/ therapist team to plan reintegration of pupil
• Advise on RNOH medical management protocols for implementation in ‘home’ school
• Contact pupil’s ‘home’ school 1 week, 1 month after discharge to ensure successful reintegration
• Continue to be a conduit for information between Pupil’s ‘home’ school and RNOH for as long as required

• Contact pupil’s ‘home’ school 1 week, 1 month after discharge to ensure successful reintegration       
• Continue to be a conduit for information between Pupil’s ‘home’ school and RNOH for as long as required  
• Catch up with pupil following discharge via outpatients clinics, email, requests for references, requests for advice on next steps in education, etc.

Cathy Heels, Teacher in Charge, RNOH Hospital School