Ashcroft School

Special school

A pioneering, life-changing school, supporting students with extra needs, including social, emotional and mental health difficulties.

Referral details

We welcome contact from parents/carers and other professionals who are seeking places for young people at the school, as it gives us the opportunity to explain more about ourselves and to answer any questions that you may have. Parents, carers and learners are welcome to visit the school to see what we do and meet with our staff team and pupils. Referrals are usually initiated through the Headteacher by the referring agency and Ashcroft School accepts formal referrals from Local authority teams, Social workers, Residential care homes or fostering services andVirtual school teams. All relevant information is taken from the referring agency prior to the pupil and their parent/carers visit. The school would receive a copy of the EHCP / Statement and would meet the prospective pupil before a final decision is given and a formal offer of a place made. We work closely with the referring agency at every stage of the student's education until they are ready to leave Ashcroft School to attend mainstream education, further education, or move into a work placement. Further information regarding admissions to Ashcroft School can be found at https://www.togethertrust.org.uk/ashcroft/how-to-apply or for more information or to arrange a visit please contact our reception on 0161 283 4832 or email us at enquiries@togethertrust.org.uk

Together Trust Campus, Schools Hill, Cheadle, Cheshire, SK8 1JE

Venue notes

Ashcroft School is based at Cheadle, Stockport and is part of the Together Trust charity, a leading specialist education, community and care provider. We offer opportunities to students throughout the North West of England and surrounding areas who have struggled to cope in other settings because of their individual barriers to learning.

Contact phone

0161 283 4832

Contact email

Ashcroft.School@togethertrust.org.uk

Website

https://www.togethertrust.org.uk/ashcroft

Ofsted URN: 106162

Ofsted rating

Good

Ofsted report

https://reports.ofsted.gov.uk/provider/27/106162

Age

From 5 to 18 years old

Opening times

School Term Time Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm

Description

Ashcroft School is one of the North West's leading specialist education providers for students aged 8 to 18. We are a pioneering, life-changing school, supporting students with needs including social, emotional and mental health difficulties. Our students may have struggled to cope in other settings because of their individual barriers to learning.

At Ashcroft School we pride ourselves in working with each student to offer a bespoke education package that meets their individual needs. Staff relight the spark in our young people and reengage them with learning. We build confidence and self esteem to change how students feel about themselves.

Ashcroft staff are experienced and dedicated and led by a national award winning Headteacher. We are committed to ensuring that every young person coming through our door reaches their potential - that means building trust with our students, providing intensive support and tailoring all we offer to their specific needs.

We cater for pupils with complex emotional needs including ADHD, ASC and acquired brain injuries working closely with local authorities to support looked after children.

Ashcroft School provides 25 hours of learning per week and offers a broad and balanced curriculum adapted to reflect individual needs.

Ashcroft School offers a broad and balanced curriculum adapted to the individual needs of each student. Every young person has a personalised education plan, with opportunities to gain nationally recognised qualifications to GCSE and beyond.

Our curriculum is based on the national curriculum, to the delivery of core curriculum subjects gives our young people the opportunity to improve their skills particularly where they have gaps or difficulty with learning skills or concepts.

Improvements in literacy and numeracy are crucial to the long-term success of our students. As a large number struggle with their literacy skills, we provide the intensive one to one literacy and specialist support they need to progress. With this support, students often make significant improvements very quickly. This in turn engages and motivates students and so improves their learning and development.

Ashcroft School focuses on curriculum themes that have a track record of engaging hard to reach young people. These include curriculum enrichment projects such as drama and music, cookery, outdoor pursuits, relaxation and vocational skills. All students are given the opportunity to work on a broad range of projects and our filmmaking projects are a particularly successful example of engaging young people and helping them to learn new skills.

Our curriculum strives to be progressive with careful reference to both local and national research and development. It not only meets the immediate needs of our students, but also provides the necessary tools to access further education, training and employment in the future.

We have high expectations of our students and are committed to raising achievement. Ashcroft School also has a range of specialist programmes available to its students which include: The Nurture Group, Play Therapy, Access Group and Vocational training for 14 – 18 year olds.  

Further information regarding these can be found by searching ‘Ashcroft programmes' at www.togethertrust.org.uk

The Together Trust has achieved PQASSO level 1, to has the Investors in People and the 'Positive About Disabled People' quality marks. These standards apply to the entire organisation, including education services.
Ashcroft School is also accredited by the Nurture Group Network with the Marjorie Boxall Quality Mark Award.

 

How do you identify special educational needs and disabilities?

At Ashcroft School, all students are assessed throughout their first six weeks using the Boxall profile. During this time we have an understanding of the young person enabling us to determine their individual needs – both academic and emotional. Students applying to the school will also have an Education Health and Care Plan, a Learning Disability Assessment or a Statement of SEN which are also used as the basis for planning to meet individual needs. These then allow us to use the assessment to group young people according to their ability, ensuring all students access a tailored curriculum. Students are involved in monitoring their own progress via assessment for learning and question and answer sessions. In accordance with the SEN Code of Practice, together with parents/ carers, the young person and professionals, an Annual Education Review for students with a statement of SEN is held to discuss support being provided and possible recommendations as to whether the aims of the statement need to change. This is based on our academic and the behavioural, social and emotional assessments conducted throughout the year. At Ashcroft, we have a very high pupil to staff ratio and therefore staff are able to monitor the students very closely. All staff are trained using PROACT SCIPr-UK®. This is a therapeutic behaviour modification system which encourages analysis of behaviour and identification of need.

How do you support a child with extra needs?

Ashcroft School runs on a secondary school model and students move around the school to specialised teaching rooms. Each group has a form teacher who manages their day to day pastoral needs. Every group is also allocated its own Learning Support Assistant or Educational Project Worker who stays with the group for the whole day. This enables stronger communication between staff as the LSA keeps teaching staff informed of current issues and needs of the individual students. Key workers are assigned to each student in the school so that they have an open door to an adult who acts as their advocate and mentor. This adult will usually be their form teacher or the LSA assigned to the group, however students may also request a staff member with whom they feel comfortable and safe. Our nurture setting runs on a primary school model although it caters for students of all ages from 8-18. This setting provides total wrap around care and has a stronger focus on social, emotional and behavioural development. Specialist teaching staff provide lessons within this nurture setting so movement around the school is kept to a minimum. This provides a more secure and safe environment for our more vulnerable students. All staff will attend regular meetings where the needs, progress and development of the students are discussed. All staff who teach a student have access to the individual IEPs, behaviour management plans and EHC plans but it is the key worker's responsibility to make sure that relevant information is communicated. With more sensitive information, we have a ‘need to know' policy and this information is therefore only shared with necessary personnel. The students also create a One Page Profile with their key worker which outlines what support strategies the student feels works best for them. The Governing Body of Ashcroft School helps to shape the vision and direction of the school and ensures the school fulfils its duties, including the promotion of inclusive policies on special needs, equality and diversity, the welfare and education of looked after children. Our Governors have vast experience in their own fields of expertise and apply this knowledge, along with their understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the school, enabling them to provide continuous challenge and support to the senior leadership team.

How do ensure a child’s education meets their needs?

Ashcroft School has a variety of learning programmes and environments which cater for similar needs in different ways. Our Nurture Setting is a small, specialised unit catering for students within 3 groups for Key Stages 1, 2, 3 and one group for Key Stage 4 and 5. Students referred to the Nurture Group have typically had poor experiences in their early years, resulting in poor attachment and difficulty establishing relationships with peers and adults. Classrooms are designed to provide a welcoming and safe environment with plenty of toys and materials for structured play. Special care is taken to ensure that the equipment and books are appropriate to the age of the students. We have a reading scheme suitable for students who are effectively non-readers and suitable mathematical equipment for students whose basic number skills are weak. Staff are fully trained by the Nurture Network. One of the most important roles the school has is to re-engage students in learning. We work with young people who may have had long periods out of school and who may have had a history of failure in the traditional education system. This may involve those who have been permanently excluded or who are at risk of permanent exclusion from school and the rest of society. We offer bespoke packages aimed at raising attainment and self esteem. This may include:- Access to the core national curriculum subjects. Mind, body and soul. Outdoor education including sailing, climbing and The Duke of Edinburgh Award. PHSE. Projects such as film making, radio plays and drama. Vocational courses in plumbing, ground works, joinery, bricklaying and painting and decorating. Intensive reading programme. Arts and crafts. Cooking. Gardening. Humanities. ICT. Ashcroft School provides 25 hours of learning per week and offers a broad and balanced curriculum adapted to reflect individual needs. We adopt a variety of methodologies, often not available in mainstream schools, to ensure we work flexibly with each young person as a direct response to their individual needs. We have high expectations of our students and are committed to raising achievement. Our teams work flexibly to cater for the varying curriculum and social needs of our students. We focus on ensuring our students develop the skills of lifelong learning which in time can lead to the successful completion of accredited courses, including GCSEs, thereby increasing their opportunity to access further education, training and employment. Ashcroft School offers students intensive personal support designed to help them re-engage in education; change their own behaviour and develop more positive relationships with others. This is achieved through intensive learning support often delivered through a range of stimulating activities that motivate and engage students in ways that are not readily available in other settings. We aim to promote learning and positive emotional development through improving self-esteem and celebrating achievements.

How will we know my child is progressing?

Students at Ashcroft are given targets which are assessed each day on a handover sheet. The handover sheet is a means of sharing with parents/carers key elements of the day and where the highlights and challenges have occurred. The handover sheet and the points earned form the basis of the school reward system. Where needed, key workers make daily calls or send emails if this is a preferred method of communicating. We continually assess students within their academic studies and monitor their behaviour, emotional and social progress using Boxall Profiling which highlights areas of strength and those which need targeted intervention. Ashcroft School has achieved the Boxall Quality Award and Investors in People Award. We hold termly progress evenings where parents and carers meet with teaching staff and key workers. Termly progress reports are issued which highlights achievements and areas for improvement. Ashcroft subject / pastoral leaders offer advice, support and guidance to parents when needed so that they are able to better support their child at home. We believe strongly that a proactive relationship between parents/carers and key school staff is the best foundation for students to make good progress. We therefore seek to support parents and carers wherever we can. Access to and from school for events and meetings, strategies to support academic studies/behaviour at home or help gaining access to other services are just some of the ways we have supported parents in the past.

How will you support my child’s overall wellbeing?

At Ashcroft, we adopt a variety of methodologies, often not available in mainstream schools, to ensure we work flexibly with each young person as a direct response to their individual needs. Personal, Social and Health Education is an integral part of the school curriculum and students explore many topics and issues which help students to make informed choices as they face them. P.S.H.E lessons, along with the school Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural agenda, arms pupils with the ability to interact with and have a stronger understanding of those from a wide variety of backgrounds, faiths, cultures and social groups as well as an understanding of actions and consequences. Ashcroft School follows the Together Trust's Policies and Procedures on safeguarding developed in the light of the latest guidance from the Stockport Safeguarding Board and the Department for Education (DfE). Where the student's home or education base is in another authority, the relevant Safeguarding Unit will be consulted. Parents and carers should be aware that if staff suspect that a young person is at risk of harm they have a duty to inform the relevant authority. Students are monitored closely when using the internet and topics on anti bullying and anti cyber bullying are included in ICT and PSHE lessons. Staff are trained in areas such as CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) ambassador training, enabling effective monitoring and management of all aspects of cyber bullying. Bullying in any form is unacceptable. Learning the effects and consequences that bullying has on the lives of others is included in the curriculum and the school participates in all government initiatives such as the anti-bullying week. Cyber bullying is a very real and serious issue and should it arise it will be dealt with following our incident management procedures. We ask parents and carers to assist the school in reducing occurrences of cyber bullying by regularly checking social networking sites which are not accessible in school. We do not allow mobile phones in school as social networking sites are also available via mobile networks. We will work with parents to inform our students of the dangers and effects of cyber bullying and to discourage its practice. Our policy on bullying and cyber bullying is available from the school office on request or via our website. Ashcroft has an in-house qualified Play Therapist and Counsellor to which all students have access if they wish with parental /carer consent. All staff and volunteers are subject to regular enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service checks. All staff within the school are trained by the Nurture Group Network and this forms a large part of our school ethos. We have a therapeutic focus within the school and all staff are trained each year in PROACT SCIPr-UK® approach to proactive behavioural, emotional and social support and development.

What specialist services and expertise are available?

Ashcroft School employs specialist teachers with expertise relating to pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties, Asperger's / autism, dyslexia and ADHD. All teachers have QTS and they are supported by teaching assistants with qualifications at least level 2. We employ an English teacher with expert knowledge of dyslexia to run an intensive literacy programme to improve student's levels, confidence and self esteem in this subject. Staff receive regular training to continue to support and develop our students with their individual needs. Mandatory training includes Equality and Diversity training. Ashcroft School has achieved the Boxall Quality Award and Investors in People Award, PQASSO Level 2 Award. Ashcroft School as part of the Together Trust has a person centered approach to all aspects of our services. Students are at the centre of all planning and their views, thoughts and opinions are sought before all meetings and review sessions. Through all our school curriculums, in particular our Social, Moral, Cultural and Spiritual agenda, we encourage students to take ownership of the school and its community and support them to make positive contributions to the wider communities – local, national and global – in which they live.

How are staff trained on extra needs?

All staff will undertake an induction programme followed by an extensive programme of continuing professional development for all staff across the organisation with mandatory training which is refreshed on an annual basis. Ashcroft School employs specialist teachers with expertise relating to pupils with social, emotional and mental health difficulties, Asperger's/ autism, dyslexia and ADHD. All teachers have QTS and they are supported by teaching assistants with at least level 2 qualifications. Ashcroft School has achieved the Boxall Quality Award and Investors in People Award. Several staff within school are fully trained in First Aid. All staff also complete emergency first aid and PROACT SCIPr-UK® Training.

How will you support my child's needs?

Ashcroft School can make provision for students and families for whom English is an additional language. Where required, advice and support – including input from a specialist English language teacher - can be sought from Stockport's Ethnic Diversity Service. An individual programme will be developed and implemented to assist the student improve their communication skills and access to the curriculum. Translation services can also be used to assist parents and carers at meetings, to/or to translate documents. Ashcroft can also offer support and guidance to parents including supporting completion of paperwork. The Together Trust also supports parents through the Information, Advice and Support Service, IASS (formally Parent Partnership). All information, guidance and policies can be found on http://www.togethertrust.org/ . Most students are transported to and from school by taxi but we aim to support independent travellers and their parents/carers with travel plans. The staff at Ashcroft School can make home visits to parents who are unable to make the journey into school.

How do you support children when they start and leave?

All transition phases are managed very carefully with the student along with parents /carers at the centre of all planning. We have strong links with Stockport Services for Young People (Connexions) and we liaise frequently with the professionals from all placing authorities. Each child or young person usually visits the school to meet with the Headteacher or Deputy Head. They are taken on a tour of the school (which can be in or out of school time) and they are able to discuss concerns and ask questions about what the school has to offer. We then offer short taster sessions before they join us which is usually centered around the interests and strengths of the child or young person and planned with the young person in advance. An induction plan is then discussed with the young person, parents and carers which is very much centered around the individual needs of the student. We endeavor to be as flexible as possible. We have a six week gradual integration programme for all students within an induction group. This is for the purposes of assessment and the students to become accustomed to the daily life of the school. This programme is flexible and some can be shortened or extended as necessary. We find this method provides students with a more secure foundation with which to join the school and allows their individual education plan to be developed more accurately.

What is available to help my child with their education?

All funding is secured before the child or young person joins the school. Once the student is on roll they have equal access to all facilities, resources and support. Where an individual student's support needs to be increased, to 1:1 or example, the school would approach the local authority, with parental support to make a formal request to the local authority. This will usually occur at an AER meeting.

What support can I expect for my child?

At Ashcroft School all students are assessed throughout their first six weeks using the Boxall profile. During this time we get to understand the young person enabling us to determine their individual needs – both academic and emotional. Students applying to the school will also have an Education Health and Care Plan, a Learning Disability Assessment or a Statement of SEN which are also used as the basis for planning to meet individual needs. These then allow us to use the assessment to group young people according to their ability, ensuring all students access a tailored curriculum.

How will I be involved in my child's education?

At Ashcroft School we believe one of the most important factors in educational achievement is consistent involvement from parents or carers. We are committed to developing home school links as we firmly believe in joint working with parents who are one of our most valuable resources. Parents and carers are contacted formally on a regular basis and informally daily to develop and maintain the links between home and school. Parents and carers receive a report on a student's progress at annual reviews and at the end of the each term. The School provides particulars of academic performance during the preceding school year including the results of public examinations, the number of staff employed at the school which includes temporary staff, to a summary of their qualifications. Parents and carers are welcome to visit the school or call to discuss their young person at any time, to are invited to attend assemblies and celebrations. We value the input provided by parents and carers and encourage collaborative working to help students reach their full potential. Our Governing Body incorporates parent representatives who take an active part in evaluating the work of the school. If you are interested in knowing more about the Governing Body or would like to become a Governor please contact our Chairman by contacting 0161 283 4848 or visiting www.togethertrust.org.uk and search ‘Ashcroft Governors' Parents can also support one of our services as a volunteer. You can make a real impact on the people we support and also gain for yourself. We work all over Greater Manchester and have a number of services across Stockport and Cheadle that work with children and adults with disabilities, learning difficulties and behavioural issues. All of these services need volunteers and if you have some skills that you think we could utilise elsewhere within our organisation then we'd love to hear from you.

Updated: 13.03/2023