Post 16 information
Post 16 provision at Newbridge Upper School is for pupils from 16 up to the end of the academic year a pupil turns 19. All pupils that are already attending Newbridge Upper School will automatically be able to continue their education at Newbridge through until the end of the academic year they turn 19. In these years we try to prepare pupils so they are as ready as possible for their next destination after leaving school.
At Newbridge during the annual review of EHCP that occurs in year 11 the focus is about what type of placement parents/carers and pupils (pupil voice is strongly encouraged in appropriate ways at this point) think would be best suited for the pupil after leaving Newbridge. Thereafter a bespoke curriculum is designed which incorporates the relevant aspects of our curriculum pathways and also prioritises key learning that will support the pupil in a successful transition.
Pupils that leave Newbridge at the end of the year they turn 19 attend different types of destination these in recent years have included:
Educational placements:
- Day College Placements (New City, Newham College, Havering College, Barking and Dagenham College and some other specialist colleges that are further away.)
- Residential College Placements
Social care placements:
- Day Centre’s (Eastway, ELHAP, WEL and others start up regularly)
- Increased Carer packages at home
- Supported living
- Residential settings
The way that we try to better prepare pupils is by adapting some of the ways in which we organise the day to make it similar to that of post 19 provisions. Class groups are similar sizes to the rest of the school being 6 – 8 pupils and are still led by the class teacher and at least 3 Learning Support Assistants. However, there is a greater emphasis on generalising skills and the amount of people and settings that pupils work with and in. Therefore, especially in the morning sessions there is lots of mixing between post 16 classes for community outings and options of activities. Pupil choice of activity being a core aspect of these sessions. This is to increase the amount of interactions with less familiar staff and peers to better mirror adult life. Afternoons will continue to be primarily in class groups to focus on building those skills with more familiar staff to take in to other situations.
Pupils will continue to have access to the hydrotherapy pool and due to the bigger emphasis on community links will all have access to community outings over the course of each year. These will include local supermarkets, Epping forest, ELHAP, Wanstead allotments, local parks and local leisure facilities. We will also focus on appropriate travel training for pupils who this is highlighted for and encourage all parents/carers with support from school if necessary to apply for a freedom pass for each pupil so that we can encourage the use of public transport and pupils can gain awareness and build independence in doing so.
Another core aspect of the post 16 provision is that all pupils in those three years will have access to work experience that is appropriate for that pupil or will be part of a group running a mini enterprise. These are organised in the following different ways:
- Internal onsite (Admin, Facilities, responsibilities around school)
- Internal offsite (Supporting other schools and pupils in the trust, allotment)
- External
- Mini enterprises
Pupils also continue to have input from NHS and school-based therapy teams, providing Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy. Pupils also continue to be supported by the Special School Nursing Team who oversee the medical needs of the pupils. The school works closely with external partners such as SEATs and social care to support pupils where needed.
In year 14 the final year of post 16 we like to begin the transition process as early as possible with visits and sharing of information. This is very important for pupils to get to know new environments of places they will be going to. Therefore, it is good for a decision of where they will go to be made as early as possible in that final year at school. This is usually discussed in the leavers annual review that will happen before the October half term in that final year.
Newbridge upper school works closely with Post- 19 settings including colleges and social care settings to ensure that transitions into adulthood are supported. Every year we hold a transition open day where all providers are invited along as well as some of the professionals from external agencies who help transitions. All parents/carers of pupils in year 12, 13 and 14 are invited to attend to gather information and have conversations with representatives of some of the place’s pupils could potentially go to after leaving school.
Our curriculum documents explain further how we plan, deliver and evaluate the post 16 curriculum.
