Inscape House School

Inscape House School supports young people aged 5 to 19 who have autism and associated communication needs.  

 

At Inscape it’s our vision to provide a learning environment that places our young people at the heart of everything we do, where they feel valued and can thrive. Our mission is to champion their rights, needs and ambitions. 

 

We support young people to reach their full potential, by understanding that they have a distinct way of thinking and perceiving the world. 

 

Our creative approach allows us to inspire and engage students in activities that are suited to their individual needs and personalities, because we can personalise our provision to meet the unique needs of each learner. 

 

Inscape House School is part of the Together Trust, a charity that provides care, special education and support to vulnerable children, young people and adults across the North West. Our campus, based in Cheadle, is an environment that enables learning, maximises independence and celebrates all of our student’s achievements. 

 

Accredited by the National Autistic Society, we provide holistic learning programmes shaped to fit each student and delivered by our skilled multidisciplinary staff team. We live and breathe Together Trust’s values. We are positive, professional, passionate and supportive. 

We use an eclectic and flexible approach. We believe this is necessary to support the development of the young people who study with us. Our teaching reflects the individual needs of all our students. 

 

Alongside championing our students’ academic progress, we help them to understand their emotions and develop coping strategies.Our approach helps our students achieve positive outcomes. 

 

The distinct and differing needs of our students guide our style of teaching and learning. This means that our curriculum is varied and we use a range of effective approaches to support our young people and enable them to learn. 

 

We teach in small class groups of no more than eight students. The group size will depend on age and key areas, such as level and style of communication. Students may have individualised timetables and one-to-one tuition, balanced with small group work or whole group activities. 

 

Our students are here to prepare for the future they want. We’re here to help make that happen. Step by step, we help our learners conquer their barriers, go beyond their expectations and own their unique success. We do this through our bespoke curriculum. 

We offer a broad range of subjects centred on the national curriculum. At Key Stage 4 and 5 (14 to 19 years-old) students have the opportunity to complete a range of different qualifications through nationally recognised awards. Alongside our academic curriculum, we also teach communication, social and life skills. 

 

Each class group has a teacher and typically two educational assistants who will work with the students on a daily basis. We also have specialist teachers for different areas of the curriculum. 

 

Who to contact

Contact Name
Hannah Stollar
Contact Position
Interim Head of School
Telephone
0161 283 4750
E-mail
inscape.admin@togethertrust.org.uk
Website
Inscape House School
Notes

Our school is a special school that specialises in autism. Our staff are well trained - training content covers, not only knowledge of autism, but also the various methodologies we use in school such as TEACCH, as well as other related areas e.g. sensory integration, speech & language therapy, PECS etc. 

 

We have a variety of specialist staff: specialist ASC teachers, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists (trained in sensory integration), positive behaviour management specialists, psychologists and sleep counsellors.

 

Our ‘support for learning’ team works closely with families to ensure a consistent and holistic approach between school and the family. Our school also has close links with other agencies and can call upon other professional advice such as CAMHS, social care, Information, Advice and Support Service (IASS), (formally Parent Partnership), as required.

Where to go

Name
Inscape House School
Address
Together Trust campus
Schools Hill
Cheadle
Postcode
SK8 1JE
Notes

Inscape House School is based at Cheadle, Stockport and is part of Together Trust, a leading specialist education, community and care provider, offering opportunities to students throughout the UK in our purpose built setting. 

 

Based within a secure, purpose built, specialist SEND setting with a number of parking bays including designated disabled parking. Our school is fully DDA compliant with sensory adaptations to provide a low stimulus environment for our students learning. 

Time / date details

When is it on
School Term Time- Monday to Friday 8:55am to 3:00pm
Time of day
Afternoon
Morning
Session Information
School Term Time- Monday to Friday 8:55am to 3:00pm

Other details

Costs

Details
For further information regarding admissions, please contact us on 0161 283 4750 or visit https://www.togethertrust.org.uk/inscape-house-school

Availability

Referral required
Yes
Referral details

We welcome contact from parents/carers and professionals who are seeking places for young people at the school, as it gives us the opportunity to explain more about ourselves and to answer any questions that you may have. Further information regarding admissions to Inscape House School can be found at http://www.togethertrust.org.uk/inscape-house-school or for more information or to arrange a visit please contact our reception on 0161 283 4750 or email us at enquiries@togethertrust.org.uk . 

 

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Local Offer

Description

Together Trust offers a range of educational services for young people and adults with multiple and complex learning disabilities including autism spectrum conditions (ASC) and complex emotional difficulties. 

All services are accessible to young people across the UK.  

Inscape House School 

Inscape House School is a non-maintained day special school in Cheadle, Cheshire.  We take referrals from all over the UK. Our school can meet the needs of children and young people aged 5 to 19 years with autism spectrum conditions and related social communication difficulties. Inscape is operated by the charity the Together Trust.

Contact Name
Sara Bayley
Contact Telephone
0161 283 4750
Contact Email
enquiries@togethertrust.org.uk
Links
Contact Us

Schools Extended Local Offer Response

How does the setting/school/college know if children/young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child/young person may have special educational needs?

Inscape House School is a specialist provision who meet the needs of children and young people aged 5 to 19 years presenting with tendencies indicative of autism spectrum conditions and related social communication difficulties.    

  • Before a pupil starts at Inscape House, initial assessments are undertaken. This is done by talking with parents/carers and the pupil, when possible, as well as speaking to other professionals who work with the young person. This way we can prioritise support that will be needed for developing robust effective transition arrangements. Pupils undergo comprehensive assessments that look at the child as whole. Amulti disciplinaryteam is involved with this, including teachers, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, educational psychology and positive behaviour support specialists. 

  

  • New pupils to the school have an ‘Initial Placement Review’ within their first term. This is an opportunity for all concerned, including parents, to identify progress and ask questions, identify what is or isn’t working, set some actions and review levels of support.

  

  • Pupils are closely monitored, this may include an IEP (Individual Education Plan) see below, and an ISP (Individual Support Plan). Both these plans again look at supporting the progress of the whole child. 

  

  • The fact that pupils are so closely monitored means that any concerns are quickly raised and because we have a large therapy and behaviour support team they can be addressed in a timely manner. Review meeting can be called at any time, by any party.

  

  • As a school we have regular home/ school contact, using home / school diaries, email, group call / phone etc. We are conscious that many of our parents can live a distance away from school and are keen to maintain good, open communication. The class teacher would be your main contact and would be able to arrange a meeting after school, during the school day (in certain cases) or a home visit.  After an initial discussion, the class teacher may include other staff from school such as someone from the therapy team.
How will early years setting/school/college staff support my child/young person?

The class teacher has an overall responsibility for the day to day wellbeing of the pupil in school. They are the first port of call for pupils and parents and act as a hub for information about the pupil (unless an alternative Lead Person has been identified). Class teachers are expected to plan and deliver appropriate learning opportunities for pupils and to ensure that any resources in place to support pupil learning are used efficiently (e.g. additional adults, physical prompts, PECS, sensory diets). Their work is monitored through a variety approaches. For example; observation, scrutiny of pupils’ work, supervision and appraisals.   

The class teacher also has the responsibility of writing, monitoring and reporting on progress and Individual Education and Support Plans, writing and attending Annual Reviews and any additional meetings with outside agencies about the pupils in their class.   

  

As a school we have a wide range of resources available through the education, speech and language and occupational therapy teams. We also offer opportunities to develop play skills. These resources are allocated based on the needs of the pupil. We have a multi sensory room, OT room, speech and language rooms, nurture and inclusion spaces, writing slopes, sensory backpacks, OT seating. Additional resources are also procured as and when required. 

  

Inscape House School has a number of outdoor spaces featuring an outdoor gym and an adventure playground. All pupils have direct access to outdoor spaces and quiet rooms to support them in developing self regulation skills. We also have a light room, indoor soft play area, a multi use hall and 4D technologies. 

  

Who else will be involved?  

  • The Head Teacher, Governors and other members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) oversee the running of the school, ensuring that all elements of a pupil’s education are in place.
  • The Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Positive Behaviour Support, Educational Psychology and play skills Staff.
  • Education Assistants (EAs): there are usually 2 assistants per class; they will work alongside the class teacher and other professionals in school in delivering lessons and supporting the students withall oftheir targets. Our team of assistants are highly trained and experienced and work in class with small groups or on a 1:1 basis. There are also Senior Education Assistants attached to each class for some time each week.  
  • The Reading Recovery Teacher and is a specialist who will be involved with those children who need some targeted work in this area. This teacher is also qualified in Intensive Interaction and Dyslexia. 

  

  • The school SENCO ensures pupils taking examsare able toaccess concessions to help them take exams such as additional time. 

  

  • The Learning Mentor works with students who are eligible for pupil premium and others that need other specific input to achieve to the same level as their peers.

  

  • The Psychology Team may be involved more directly with some pupils but monitor all pupils.

  

  • Access to a sleep clinic is also available for families and pupils.

All our staff attend regular class/ cluster group meetings in which they discuss the needs, progress and development of the children and young people. We also have an integrated information management system which stores electronic data regarding each child in school; this can then be accessed by relevant staff using a password protection system. 

How will the curriculum be matched to my child's/young person's needs?
  • All our learners are offered a broad, balanced and differentiated curriculum and follow a personalised approach:
  • The Academic curriculum focuses on subject knowledge and understanding, for example core subjects of Math’s, English, Science and a range of foundation subjects for example Design Technology, Art and Humanities - similar to all schools 
  • The Personal skills curriculum includes communication, independence, social interaction and self regulation, living skills and personal care skills 
  • The Primary Pathway (Key Stage 1 & 2), our curriculum core subjects are delivered during weekly sessions and are supplemented by the curriculum foundation subjects.

  

  • In Key Stages 3 & 4, curriculum learning pathways are differentiated to best meet the needs of each learner.  This helps children and young people to make the best possible progress academically, whilst continuing to develop their social understanding, communication and relationship skills for future college and work environments. There is also flexibility for accelerated learning for Key Stage 2 learners whose progress is better facilitated within these pathways.

  

  • The Supported Learning Pathway (KS 3 & 4) is designed to meet the needs of learners who have significant difficulties with communication and sensory processing. Learners are generally working within the P levels and the early NC levels. Multi-sensory approaches are used to engage and support learners. Pupil voice is facilitated and developed by augmentative communications systems and PECs.

  

  • The Independent Pathways (KS 3 & 4) are for learners who are working at the higher national curriculum levels. We use a range of approaches to meet the individual needs of pupils creating an environment for teaching and learning which, by reducing anxieties and facilitating effective communication, encourage learners to reach their full academic potential. At the same time, learners can achieve theself regulationskills and strategies that will allow them to successfully progress.  They will also learn how to apply these skills and knowledge within adult environments such as further education, apprenticeships and the world of work.  

  

  • In addition to AQA Entry Level qualifications, learners in this pathway can engage in coursework leading to Cambridge Nationals, OCR / AQA Levels Entry, 1 & 2 in Maths and English and GCSEs. Where appropriate, learners on this pathwayare able toaccess link programmes at local colleges and schools, some of whom can be on dual role within a high school setting. 

  

  • In the 6th Form, pupils follow an appropriate 16 to 19 studyprogramme, tailored to their individual needs. Thisincludes  Math’s and English including communication, computing, meaningful work experience, enterprise education, work related skills and independent / personal skills linked to pathways in housing, health, friends and relationships. 
How will both you and I know how my child/young person is doing and how will you help me to support my child's/young person's learning?
  • All school staff have high expectations for their pupils. Targets are set and monitoring takes place on a regular basis by all school staff who are well placed to identify progress.
  • There is regular home/school contact using; home/school diaries, email or telephone.

  

  • Formal monitoring takes place half termly.

  

  • Information and discussions around target setting are addressed through termly parent forums; progress is also shared at parents’ evening, annual reviews and in the form of an end of year report.

  

  • Staff can always be available by prior arrangement at other times to discuss progress as required.

  

  • Some pupils use their pupil premium or direct payments to fund activities during holiday times to provided continued structure throughout the year.
What support will there be for my child's/young person's overall well being?
  • Social and emotional development forms an integral part of the school day. All students start the day with a SEAL (Social, Emotional Aspects of Learning) session. These sessions cover a variety of topics, from learning to regulate one’s own emotional state through to keeping safe online. Staff support pupils in managing their emotions and regulating their behaviouron a daily basis. Staff also encourage pupils to develop and maintain positive relationships with peers and staff throughout the day. 
  • In addition to the daily SEAL sessions, pupils have scheduled PSHE lessons, pastoral leads for each pathway, input from the therapy teams, targets set on their Individual Support Plan and school learning mentors.

  

  • The learning mentor’s role entails supporting young people in all areas such as academic or social or emotionalwell being.

  

  • Any form of bullying is taken very seriously in the school. Many of our pupils will have experienced bullying in previous settings and is therefore a particularly important issue. Students are taught about the tolerance of others, resilience and friendship skills, both in formal taught sessions and as part of their own individual programmes. Targets about relationship skills are often set in the IEP (Individual Education Plan) or ISP (Individual Support Plan). Any incident of bullying is logged, reported and dealt with swiftly in line with school policy.

  

  • Many of our pupils have complex needs and again, this is when having so many specialists in school, we can address this successfully. Class staff, the Positive Behaviour Team and Support for Learning (Therapy) all work together to help support every pupil’s pastoral needs.

 

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the setting/school/college?
  • With our school being a special school that specialises in autism, all our staff are well trained- training content covers not only knowledge of autism but also the various methodologies we use in school such as TEACCH as well as other related arease.g.Sensory Integration, Speech & Language Therapy, PECS etc. 
  • Some of our pupils have additional needs such as epilepsy / dyslexia etc. All staff have training in these areas and are given further support, training and guidance as required.

  

  • Our staff team includes Specialist ASC teachers, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists trained in sensory integration, Positive Behaviour Management Specialists and Psychologists. We also have close links with health professionals such as CAMHS, Social Care and Information, Advice and Support Service IASS (formally Parent Partnership).

  

  • Some pupils may have regular medical appointments. School can support with this in many ways, for example we have developed social stories to explain what may happen at the dentist.

  

  • Stockport Dental Service attends school once a year and is available for all children irrespective of their placing authority. Recommendations from these visits will be sent home.

  

  • The school is an NAS (National Autistic Society) accredited school. We are also OCR approved, a member of SSAT and have achieved PQASSO level 2 and Investors in People.

Search for ‘accreditations’ on our web site www.togethertrust.org.uk 

What training have the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had? Are any being trained currently?

All staff undertake an induction program, which is assessed against national standards, followed by an extensive programme of continuing professional development for all staff across the organisation with a mandatory programme of training refreshed on an annual basis. 

  • Our school is a special school that specialises in autism. Our staff are well trained - training content covers not only knowledge of autism but also the various methodologies we use in school such as TEACCH as well as other related arease.g.Sensory Integration, Speech & Language Therapy, PECS etc. 
  • Some of our pupils have additional needs such as epilepsy/dyslexia etc. Staff are trained in the administration of medication, first aid, epilepsy awareness. When required, staff undergo further training in required areas and are given further support, training and guidance as and when needed.

  

  • Throughout the year there are weekly training/awareness sessions which focus on a variety of relevant SEND issues.

  

  • Many of our staff hold additional qualifications such as MA’s in Autism, PG Dip’s in SEN / Autism, SleepCounseling, Intensive Interaction, Dyslexia, Reading Recovery, PROACT-SCIPr-UK® Instructor/Monitor etc.

  

  • The Continuing Professional Development of staff takes place and monitored throughout the year in the form of supervisions and appraisals.
How will my child/young person be included in activities outside this classroom including school trips?
  • As an inclusive school setting, we seek to ensure that all pupils, regardless of needare able toattend enrichment opportunities such as after-school activities and school trips. We work creatively and flexibly to make relevant adaptations to enable all pupils to attend. We have a range of lunchtime clubs and after school clubs, details of which are sent out to parents at the start of the academic year and are available by request from the office. 
  • The school has a very high pupil: staff ratio and staff are on duty over lunch and break times to keep the staffing levels high. Breaks and lunchtimes form part of the teaching day, these times are also structured and provide opportunities for pupils to practice independence and social skills in a safe environment.

  

  • The school is divided into different learning pathways with each pathway have a clear remit.

  

  • All pupils have a personal tutor offering pastoral support.

  

  • The school has a Learning Mentor with counselling skills.

  

  • Having access to physical activities and community-based education experiences are hugely important for our pupils, all such activities are risk assessed in line with school policies. Students also have individual risk assessments.

  

  • Staff are trained in the PROACT-SCIPr-UK® model of positive behaviour support.

  

  • The pupils’ curriculum includes stranger danger, e-safety and sexual exploitation (as appropriate).

  

  • The school multidisciplinary team work closely with external professionals such as CAMHs and NHS professionals.

  

  • Pupils attending external college and work experience as part of their programme undertake induction into these environments.
How accessible is the setting/school/college environment?
  • As a school, we are wholly committed to the Person-CenteredApproach, where the child is at the centre of thedecision making process. We make every effort to ensure that every student’s voice is heard and work hard at facilitating this. Some students may contribute using signs and symbols or photographs and video, others may play an active role in their annual reviews. 
  • We also have a very active student council. The purpose of the school council is to give the students a place where they can have a voice, to express their ideas, opinions, desires and complaints about things that happen inschool;
  • Expressing themselves and engaging in the council at whatever level they can.  
  • Giving students a ‘forum’ where they can raise issues with managers and governors of the school. 
  • Providing an opportunity to raise students’ awareness of issues that are happening in school or that affect school.  
  • Giving an opportunity to work alongside peers that they may not otherwise encounter during the school day.  
  • Providing a meaningful situation for generalising learning and for teaching and practising skills such as listening, negotiating, making choices, problem-solving etc. 

This is run by the Speech and Language Team to ensure all pupils have a ‘voice’. 

  

  • Working with families is very important for us at Inscape House

  

  • We work closely with families providing support, advice and listening to parents’ wishes and aspirations. Wherever possible, we respect parental preferenceswith regard toissues such as diet, dress and religious matters. 

  

  • As a specialist SEND setting, we make every effort to make reasonable adjustments to meet every pupils’ and families’ need.  

A copy of accessibility plan is available on request from the school. 

How will the setting/school/college prepare and support my child/young person to join the setting/school/college or the next stage of education and life?
  • Transition planning with pupils, families and current schools will only commence when assessments have been completed,leadby the Applications, Transitions and Outreach Manager, the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) has agreed to offer a place and funding with the local authority has been confirmed.  Once funding is agreed a ‘school transition lead’ will be allocated and an individual transition plan is put in place.  
  • Transition plans are person-centred. A person-centred 1-page profile is developed with the young person, their family and current setting (where applicable).

  

  • We then work with all involved to develop a transition plan that will work best for the child. Some transitions involve using SKYPE or email to communicate with peers online beforeactually attendingschool. Transition booklets are produced using photographs of the school, the class team and peers. Some transitions can be a very slow and gradual process, while others can be quite rapid. It depends entirely on the young person. 

  

  • When transitioning pupils to other settings, much work is done with the new setting to ensure they have a complete picture of the child to enable them to begin working in a positive way from the outset. We will also support any transition work the new setting requires, such as supporting students to visit. 

Our Post 16 pupils follow learning programmes based on the National 16-19 Study Programme Framework.  These programmes are tailored to their individual needs, education and employment goals. 

The overarching elements within the programmes include: 

  • Pathway to Employment  
  • Pathway to Housing  
  • Pathway to Health  
  • Pathway to Friends and Relationships  

These pathways include learning functional skills in Math’s and English, alongside a range of other training to prepare our young people for their adult lives.  Other elements of learning could include meaningful work experience, travel training, independent living and personal skills. 

For more information search ‘Post 16’ on our website www.togethertrust.org.uk 

How are the setting's/school's/college's resources allocated and matched to children's/young people's special educational needs?
  • The school operates a banding or ‘pathway’ system for funding. The pathway in which a student is placed is dependent on an initial assessment prior to starting school. As well as identifying the appropriate pathway, additional support needs may also be identified on an individual basis over and above the pathway funding. The banding is also subject to review in line with meeting the pupil’s needs. This review will take place at any time during the year in response to the changing needs of a child.
  • All pupils in school have access to Specialist Teachers, Teaching Assistant support, universal and targeted Speech and Language, Occupational Therapy and Positive Behaviour Support as part of their programme.
How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child/young person will receive?

 

These discussions take place from first contact and are developed once a placement is agreed with the local authority. They are further developed during initial assessments, IPRs (Initial Placement Reviews) and ARs (Annual Reviews) and involve the pupil, parents/carers, school staff and external agencies. At these meeting, the desired outcomes for the pupil will be discussed and the provision or support needed to meet the outcomes will be identified. If a change of support is identified which has a cost implication, it is vitally important that the local authority is informed, included, provision need is evidenced and agreement to fund is reached before such changes are made on a permanent basis. Any changes made without agreement from the local authority can only ever be on a very temporary or emergency basis. 

How are parents involved in the setting/school/college? How can I be involved?

Parents are encouraged to take an active role within the setting.   

We want our parents and families to participate in the life and running of the school. There is an annual questionnaire enabling parents to provide feedback. Parents are also encouraged to use Parent View, a feedback service available via Ofsted (http://parentview.ofsted.gov.uk). We have parent governors who sit on the schools governing body and details of how to stand are advertised in the school newsletter when vacancies arise.  

  

Parents can also apply to become volunteers – application forms are available via our website www.togethertrust.org.uk