Seven Hills School

Admission is usually based on a core severe learning difficulty this might well be accompanied by physical, sensory, or communication difficulties.

We have 144 students on roll. 

Students are grouped according to their learning needs. More able students may be in groups as large as twelve. Students with more severe/ profound needs would usually be in groups of eight.

The students who attend Seven Hills all have a statement of special educational needs/EHC plan.

• Students are taught in classrooms which are designed to accommodate both able bodied students and those with mobility or physical needs.
• Classrooms do not have adjoining quiet rooms this is a limitation for students who need a withdrawal area and limits the provision of a low stimulation environment.
• The building is wheelchair accessible; however it is a two storey building with lifts connecting the upper and ground floors.
• Symbols are used in school to aid students understanding and visual support for learning materials are used widely.
• The school supports and encourages the use of Makaton to aid communication and learning.
• There are disabled changing facilities and hygiene rooms in school and a variety of toilet facilities to enable and encourage differing degrees of independence.
• The playground / yard for the younger students is fenced and secure. The yard for the older students is more open and is shared with our co-located school – All Saints Catholic High School.
• We share other facilities with All Saints including the dining room for our older students. This is well-managed and benefits our students as they are able to mix with the mainstream population and gain valuable life and social experiences from this.
• Students who are unable to cope with shared areas due to sensory difficulties are catered for in a variety of bespoke alternatives. This might mean eating in the quieter setting of the Community Room or in the classroom.

• The curriculum is designed to meet the needs of students with Severe Learning Difficulties.
• Lessons are differentiated to ensure all learners are being challenged at a level which is appropriate to their needs.
• The curriculum is designed to help students reach academic goals and gain accreditation. It prepares students for progression to their next targeted provision and provides a solid life skills and work-related learning programme.
• The school also provides lunchtime clubs and after school club activities which contribute to social, sporting, health, life skills and generic skills development.

Staff at Seven Hills receive extensive training to enable them to meet the needs of the students and ensure that they are safe in school and that their educational and care needs are catered for.

 All teaching and support staff are trained in:

• Safeguarding (child protection)
• Team Teach (behavior support training)
• Makaton
• Fire Safety
• ICT (including e-safety)

 Key staff receive training in:

• SEND education and specific training in different curriculum areas and initiatives
• Manual handling
• First aid
• Administration of medicines (including rescue medication)
• Gastronomy tube feeding
• Personal care

Staff also receive training about the particular needs of individual learners or groups of learners, including training about specific medical conditions as necessary. The school is an accredited provider for Team Teach training

An extensive programme of continuous professional development is provided for teachers and teaching assistants, with a range of bespoke training on a weekly basis as pertinent to their roles. The school works closely with outside agencies and professionals such as speech and language therapists, educational psychologists, physiotherapists, school nurses, occupational therapists, visual/hearing impaired services,  and local MAST services (Multi Agency Support Teams) to ensure that staff receive up to date information and guidance.

The school provides basic training for new staff and temporary staff through established staff induction procedures and essential information about the needs of all students is made available to staff via the school database.

The school communicates with parents in a number of ways. All parents are invited to attend an annual review meeting to discuss their child’s progress and set targets for the next year. There is also a parents’ meeting each year where parents have the opportunity to meet a wider range of staff involved with their child. Progress information is also sent home in a year-end report.

For day to day communication, the school will phone or write to parents in some circumstances use a mobile phone messaging service. The school will translate letters for families whose first language is not English, and use a translation service for meetings as needed.

Key information about the school is available on the school website.

 Some students have home/school books to help parents communicate with class teachers.

Parents and carers are invited to attend a range of parent workshops that focus on issues that are important to them such as e-safety or independent travel. Outside agencies and professionals often speak at these events.

The school has a rigorous cycle of self-review and is constantly seeking ways to improve the education and care that it provides for students.

Progress of all students is recorded and monitored throughout the year and regular review points allow under-performance to be identified and actions taken to address this where needed.

Parent and student views are gathered by yearly surveys and parents’ views on transition arrangements from primary schools are also recorded each year.

The school reports information about its’ effectiveness to the board of governors and the head teachers meet regularly with a School Improvement Partner to review self-evaluation processes and outcomes.

Students’ social and emotional wellbeing at Seven Hills is provided through a phase pastoral system. Each phase team liaises closely with parents, carers and outside agencies to support students’ pastoral needs.

Students’ social and emotional views are surveyed yearly and this information is used to identify areas for improvement. The student voice is captured through weekly focus working groups which highlight issues important to students.

Every class is supported by at least one teaching assistant. Some students who have particular social or emotional needs receive a greater level of support; often 1:1 at key times. Lunchtime and after-school clubs are available to students which also help foster positive relationships, and students trained as peer mediators assist others resolve conflicts when needed.

All staff are trained in Team Teach (behaviour support) and additional help in maintaining positive relationships with others is provided by behaviour support staff who work with groups and individuals as required to encourage healthy social interactions. Phase leaders monitor attendance and work closely with parents and MAST services to encourage attendance and minimise barriers to learning.

A small minority of students exhibit extreme behaviours on occasion and these incidents are handled sensitively putting the health, safety and welfare of both students and staff as a priority. Consequences of challenging behaviour are designed to allow students to learn from their experiences.

The school organises a rich programme of outside the classroom activities that are designed to broaden the learning experiences of the students. All activities are designed to be as inclusive as possible and students are given regular opportunities to work with, and alongside, students with a range of different learning needs. Older students are able to mix with students from our co-located mainstream school at lunchtimes.

Students are able to access a range of off-site visits including curriculum trips, class trips (extra-curricular) and residential trips. We aim to be inclusive as possible when arranging these trips and plan for maximum participation from students.

Breakfast / snack are offered in school to every child as part of the school morning.

We also have an after school club.

• Students attend annual reviews to talk about their own progress and have an opportunity to voice concerns, requests and views.
• Staff prepare students for the review by working through questions and recording responses in advance of the review.
• Sheffield Futures attends reviews for Y9 and older students to explore with them their opinions and thoughts on college, Post 16 or next stage provision.
• The school facilitates college taster courses and college attendance to enable students to gain experiences which they can use to help them make choices.
• In the classroom setting from lesson to lesson students are asked to evaluate their own progress against familiar targets and identify areas where they may require more support. Assessment for Learning is a strong theme within the school and students are encouraged to evaluate, support and praise the work of others as well as themselves.
• Students views about the school and their education are gained through a yearly survey as well as regular Student Voice meetings.

• The school has a website which can be used to gain further information.
• Visits to the school are for parents and carers in the first instance and take place regularly throughout the school year.
• The school has a Parents’ Handbook which is available on the school website

If a student becomes unable to attend school for medical, physical or behavioural reasons school will offer a level of home tuition which will be agreed with the family as an acceptable option.