Welcome
Our school is a friendly place where all are respected and where children’s learning and wellbeing are the basis of all we do.
Glyne Gap is a school for pupils aged 2-19 with severe and profound learning disabilities. Many of our pupils have other additional needs including physical, medical, sensory and autistic spectrum condition.
We want our pupils to lead happy and fulfilled lives now and in the future and we believe learning is the key to unlocking such lives.
We are committed to a Total Communication philosophy where pupil’s individual communication needs are put at the forefront of their learning with emphasis specifically placed on developing independence, personal autonomy, functional life skills and friendship.
Our pupils are taught in a happy, purposeful and caring environment by our committed and highly skilled staff to enable all pupils to fulfil their potential and make outstanding progress.
We hope that you will find the following information a useful way to get to know our school. However there can be no substitute for a personal visit to the school. We are always happy to discuss any aspect of our work so please take the opportunity to call or visit us.
Kirsty Prawanna
Headteacher
Ethos, Values and Organisation
School Aims…..what is our purpose?
We believe it is our moral purpose to enable pupils to live happy, purposeful and fulfilled lives both now and in the future. We believe that such a life is what we want for each other, what all parents want for their child and is a right of all. A learning disability should not be a barrier to this life. The key to unlocking this life is through learning because learning can change lives. Our pupils’ learning is THE guiding principle at Glyne Gap. This belief runs through everything we do.
Beliefs and Values….. what do we think is really important?
We believe that the individual child is at the centre of all that we do….that every child is an individual and is to be respected, valued and nurtured….and that every pupil has a ‘voice’ and that this voice should be listened to and encouraged. We believe that the individual pupil is at the centre of all actions and that their learning is key to their future lives. We believe we must strive always to make their learning successful and we can do this best by skilful teaching (including the highest possible expectations), an exciting school curriculum (in and out of lessons), supportive school structures and by a real partnership with families. We believe all have a right to happiness and to feel good about themselves. We believe fun in learning, and friendships, are vital to this happening. We believe we need to develop the whole child and encourage confidence and self-esteem. We believe we need to recognise and celebrate everyone’s achievements. We believe in the community or ‘family’ of the school…. because all living in it are supported and enriched by it. We believe that at the heart of the community lies respect for each other, shared values and trust. We believe in the commitment to learning and personal growth for all, that we need to be positive, have fun and enjoy our lives.
Curriculum ….. What we teach and how we teach it.
Our curriculum focus is on the areas of learning that are going to bring happiness, purpose and fulfilment to our pupils.
Our curriculum intent is that all pupils have opportunities and develop skills to:
- be as independent as they can be
- understand and be understood to support their choice and autonomy
- develop and enjoy purposeful play and leisure activities
- make a contribution to their families, communities and society, including work where appropriate
- have and maintain positive relationships and friendships
- build aspiration, self-confidence and resilience
Parents and Families – our vital partners
Our curriculum acknowledges a child's parents/carers as the first, longest and most important educator. We know that the most effective learning takes place when school and home work together. For this reason, we commit to working in partnership with families and finding a partnership model that works for each family to ensure their child’s learning. It is our belief that the most effective learning takes place when school and home work together. Parents and Carers are particularly encouraged to take an active part in, and contribute to, the setting of their children’s individual termly goals. Parents and Carers are always welcome in school and no appointment is necessary (although prior notice is appreciated). Staff are always happy to make home visits. To help communication, each pupil is given a book that passes daily between home and school with news and achievements being exchanged daily. The school website is designed to be parent friendly and is full of information about the school, including whole school pupil achievements (termly newsletters) and OFSTED reports. Prospective parents, grandparents and friends are encouraged to look at the website.
School Organisation
The school is organised into five departments: The Nursery (for 2 – 5 year olds), the Infant department, the Junior department, the Senior department and the Further Education (FE) department. The Nursery is sited in a building adjacent to our school and our site neighbours, Pebsham Primary School. It is run in partnership with the ‘Early Years Nursery’ and children are taught by specialist staff in a fully inclusive setting. The FE department is the provision for our 16 – 19 year old students. It is situated in purposed built accommodation in the heart of Bexhill College, about half a mile away from the main school site.
Staff, facilities, and resources
The school is very generously staffed with teachers and teaching assistants. There is also a number of specialist staff, some of whom are employed by the school and some of whom come in to school to work with pupils. These include nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, teachers for the visually and hearing impaired, nutritionists, and communication specialists. Despite having so many specialists in the school great care is taken to plan for the needs of the whole child. All specialist work is carried out in direct co-operation and consultation with the pupil’s class teacher who ensure that there is a balanced curriculum and that all work on priority needs. The school is well-resourced with communication aids, books, toys and other specialist equipment. We have a hydrotherapy pool, a sensory room, a rebound therapy room and a soft play room. Outside there is a Wild Garden, an Adventure playground and an all-inclusive playground. We also have a small fleet of vehicles.
Admissions
As far as visiting is concerned the school operates an open-door policy. Parents who believe their child may benefit from the education provided at Glyne Gap School can make contact with the school directly to meet the headteacher and visit the school. Formal referral for pupils is via East Sussex County Council ISEND Assessment and Planning service. All pupils at the school have an EHCP in place. Very young children, who may benefit from a nursery place, may be able to come to school without the formality of an EHCP. The headteacher or teacher in charge of the nursery will be able to advise on this during a visit.