Origani

We understand that making the right choice of secondary school can be an anxious and worrying time for both parents and pupils.

In order to help you to make this decision, we would like to invite you to visit Beechlawn School to see for yourselves our excellent provision for all pupils with MLD, SpLD and our support for pupils on the ASD spectrum.

We, at Beechlawn, have a team of dedicated and experienced specialist teachers and teaching assistants, who will cater for the individual needs of your son or daughter.

We offer a highly structured, holistic, multi-disciplined approach to delivering the curriculum, with the individual needs of your son or daughter at the core of all that we do.

We will provide transition support in order to minimise any understandable anxiety when pupils leave their familiar primary setting and move onto an as yet unfamiliar secondary school. In order to do this, we will liaise with your son/daughter's primary school, provide a transition support booklet, and where appropriate, visit your child at their primary school.

We provide a highly structured learning environment, including a daily schedule to help pupils with organisational skills and to encourage independence.

Snow Boarder in mid-jump

We offer specialist teaching in PE, Home Economics, Technology, Science and Art.
ICT is used extensively throughout the curriculum.

We also offer two fully equipped ICT suites. There is an Interactive Whiteboard in almost every classroom.

We operate a breakfast club in response to research which has shown the health benefits and significantly increased concentration and achievement levels for pupils who have eaten a healthy breakfast. We have also found it to be valuable in encouraging pupils to develop choice-making skills, communication, interaction and social skills in a relaxed atmosphere.

Lunchtime clubs are offered to any pupils who feel anxious about free time in the playground.

Homeworks are set to suit the individual level and needs of each pupil.

Snow Boarder in mid-jump

A life skills suite has been established to encourage year 8 and 9 pupils to practice social and practical skills. This involves role play in the café, post office and medical room, and enables pupils to:
§         develop and expand talking and listening skills,
§         explore language and experiment and further develop language within meaningful contexts,
§         to practice new, specific vocabulary introduced within close-to-life situations,
§         to practice meaningful and relevant social skills.
In addition, pupils will have the opportunity to participate in practical experiments with sand/water to help their understanding of mathematical concepts such as capacity and volume.

Snow Boarder in mid-jump

The social skills taught and practiced in the Life Skills Suite are enhanced by established extensive Social Skills and English For Life programmes.

We have an excellent pastoral care system in place to help build confidence and develop self-esteem in pupils.

We have the expertise to build carefully devised social stories and comic strips to help with change, new situations, anxieties and communication difficulties.

Beechlawn is set on a beautiful 7 acre site. This is utilised to deliver various aspects of our practical curriculum and is celebrated in May during 'School Grounds Day', when we spend most of our school day engaging in a wide variety of activities within the grounds.

In May, Year 8 have an 'Adventure Week', when all of the Year 8 classes engage in a variety of activities to promote social and communication skills, team building and to encourage friendships.

Local amenities are also utilised, including trips to the village to practice and further develop life skills.   Nature trails around the forest park are often led by the Education Officer for the Forest Service.

Beechlawn School:
       Pupil centred
       Structured environment
       Dedicated, caring staff
       Christian ethos

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