The Phoenix Provision
The Phoenix Provision at The Hollyfield School opened in September 2019. This specialist resource provision is provided by the school and Achieving for Children in partnership, for those students whose primary need on their Education and Health Care Plans is speech, communication and language needs, including autism. There are spaces for four students in each year group and application must be made through the annual review process and referred to AfC.
It enables students to access Quality First teaching in the mainstream school and make progress in their learning, with input from specialists within the provision. Students benefit from high quality teaching in a mainstream, co-educational school and are still able to access specialist intervention. There are small group and individual teaching sessions, alongside supported and independent inclusion in mainstream classes.
Our students are expected to attend a high number of lessons within the main school, as well as being part of a mainstream tutor group. Staff within the provision liaise with class teachers on a regular basis to ensure they understand the needs of students and employ various teaching strategies to support our students.
Our focus in the Phoenix Provision is to provide students with social communication skills to succeed in mainstream classes, in more unstructured times and achieve their potential.
Our approach in the Phoenix Provision is one of flexibility and personalisation of the curriculum, which is relevant to the students’ needs both socially and academically.
A range of strategies are available within the provision, including Zones of Regulation, Social Thinking and The Hidden Curriculum, tailored to the needs of each student. Students are supported in class to attain their potential, whilst enabling them to become more independent and be able to deal confidently in all social communication situations. The provision is developing ways of using SCERTS within both the provision and wider school to ensure students are able to communicate effectively and appropriately.
Each student has a key worker, who supports the student, offers practical advice, encourages and works with the student to resolve any problems they may experience in the main school. The key worker also contacts parents regularly to give updates on progress and where their young person may need support.
Within the provision are specially designed small group rooms, for one to one and pair work sessions, with two larger classrooms for socialising and larger group sessions.
Students are able to access structured lunchtime clubs, where social skills and communication strategies can be practised, as well as reflection sessions. It is a safe space where students can relax with friends and develop confidence.
There is a sensory space, where students can self-regulate their emotions and develop strategies to both identify and deal with their feelings. A sensory garden is being built up so that students can develop their own calming strategies.
Small group sessions focus on social communication, whilst developing the skills needed in mainstream classes, such as note-taking, mind-mapping and effective revision techniques.
Our aim is to enable students to access as much of the mainstream experience as they can, supporting them to make the progress they are capable of and to encourage them to achieve in order to empower them to succeed in life beyond the provision and the school.
Teacher in Charge - Ms Anita Procter
Teacher within the Provision - Ms Hannah Chan
HLTA in the Provision - Ms Jo Savage