School Update 6th August
Dear Parent
We hope this finds you all well and enjoying the summer and some Olympic excitement too, despite the unpredictable weather at the moment.
Progress
We are currently working hard on curriculum plans for 2021-2022, and also looking forward to the launch of Charisma, our KS4 Learning Chapter in 2022-2023.
Exciting times as we begin to make decisions on exam boards, courses and options for our current Flair 9 cohort.
Our staff team look forward to Inset before term commences, with appropriate input from professionals and the required amount of compliance and internal training / induction too.
Numbers and interest in our unique provision remain extremely strong, with a continual stream of enquiries and visits. It will be a relief to get through our next planning stages and go through the material change process with Ofsted and DfE. We have already put this into motion.
Our therapists are enjoying full caseloads and we are looking at increasing the hours for that team.
Students will start the new term on our 3 class timetable; Spirit, Flair 7-8 and Flair 9, as per July’s Transition Week. This worked extremely well and is an idea and appropriate step towards our already planned 5 class timetable for January or perhaps before.
Developments continue ongoing behind the scenes as we plan more detailed use of our incredible outdoor space and carry out summer works on our property.
Reports
Our students are making incredible steps forward, both in their learning and pastorally. Abbot’s Way’s aim is that children achieve their own personal potential and it has been a pleasure to watch young people begin to gain self belief and confidence across the last two terms.
Your child’s updated learning plan will be emailed to you shortly.
Each termly target has been reviewed and there is a measure of progress for each curriculum area.
If you do have any questions then please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Planning
After further yet seemingly necessary delays, we are pleased that our planning application will finally be submitted w/c 9th August.
The latest timescale is to ensure that every possible angle is covered and there is no possibility that anything is omitted.
We remain confident that the process will be expedited once the application is in, given the increase in communications from external agencies who are now showing increased support and recognition of the work being carried out to support the increase in capacity which we have desired since the concept of Abbot’s Way was born.
Once again, we will be asking for support of the application online, and we have councillors and MP waiting to do so also. On approval of our application, the previously mentioned ‘leeway’ on numbers on site should kick in.
In the meantime, we are working closely with the DfE and Local Authority to add an additional local premises under our current registration in order to support a potential short term solution for those students who have had Abbot’s Way named in their EHCP but for whom there is no capacity until planning is approved.
Ideally this will not be needed, it is a safety net to use if planning is not through by the start of term.
Please do email if you have any queries.
With many thanks as always for your tireless support.
Best wishes
Gareth, Hellen and Team