Admissions
Our Students
We cater for boys and girls aged between 8 and 16 years who’s primary special educational need is Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties. The pupils’ needs may be complex, creating significant barriers to learning. They may have associated behavioural difficulties, but they will not have severe learning difficulties.
The students’ needs may be complex, creating significant barriers to learning.
Placements are usually full time, subject to specification of the statement or education and health care plan, although pupils may be admitted on a phased return if all parties around the pupil are of agreement.
Admissions Criteria
We work closely with the Local Authority on our admissions processes. We aim to have each years new intake completed in the January before a September start, allowing for a strong transition process to then take place. Please be aware, we are an over subscribed school and we always receive vastly more consultations for placements than we have capacity to accept. Each application is assessed on an individual basis. In each case, we take account of the needs of the individual child and consider whether the school would be suitable to meet their needs with particular reference to the following factors.
- The pupil will be aged between 8 and 16 years of age
- The pupil will have an Education, Health & Care Plan (EHCP)
- The EHCP will specify that the pupil has social, emotional, mental health, communication difficulties.
- The pupil will normally have been assessed as within the average ability range of educational functioning. (In some cases, pupil’s levels of ability as measured using psychometric tests may prove difficult. In these cases the school will base its judgements on its ability to meet needs)
- The pupil may have moderate learning difficulties and/or low attainment that are associated with their emotional and behavioural difficulties.
- The pupil may have one or more area of difficulty.
- The pupil will express a commitment to the placement
- The pupil’s parents/carers will express a commitment to the placement.
We also will consider if the pupil under consultation will be compatible with the current cohort of pupils already in the classes we have.
Equality
We are committed to providing equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children and families, to providing an environment in which all children are supported to reach their full potential. Applications are considered regardless of gender, religion, background, race or disability.
Admissions Process
Parents and carers are advised to read the attached Admission Arrangements.
Applying for a Place
For information about admissions please email admin@sbrschool.co.uk
Our admissions procedures are as follows:
We admit pupils with statements or education and health care plans naming the school (and a limited number of non-statemented pupils or those without an education and health care plan), who require specialist schooling, who may proceed to different levels of inclusion in mainstream education. Places will usually be taken up at the start of the school year.
Sir Bobby Robson School staff will observe potential pupils in their current setting to assess suitability.
Places are commissioned by the local authority. The total cost of a place will be agreed with the local authority, who will pay the agreed top-up to the £10000 base funding from the DfE.
Parents wishing their child to be considered for a place will be advised to contact their home Local Authority SEN service.
The commissioning LA will consult the Headteacher regarding each pupil the LA considers potentially suitable to request a place in the School.
The Headteacher will consider the suitability of the school provision in addressing the needs of the child and also giving consideration to the needs of the current pupils on roll.
All pupils will be reviewed at the end of Key Stage 2 for suitability of transfer to Secondary School.
The Unity Schools Partnership will consent to being named, except where admitting the child would be incompatible with the provision of efficient education for other children; and where no reasonable steps may be made to secure compatibility. Consideration will need to be given to numbers in and the profile of each year group.
In the event that the LA names the School and the School objects to the admission of a pupil based on the criteria, the School is under a contractual obligation to admit the pupil; however, the School is able to make a complaint to the Secretary of State who will evaluate if the LA have fulfilled their statutory and legal duties.
Appeals
Appeals will be to the First-tier Tribunal for statemented students. Parents whose children have special educational needs can appeal to the First-tier Tribunal (Special Educational Needs and Disability) against decisions made by Local Authorities in England about their children’s education. The application forms and guidance can be found on www.justice.gov.uk/tribunals/send.