SEN Teaching Assistant

Aurora Brooklands

Specialist academic and therapeutic support in a welcoming environment, for students aged 9-16 who face challenges associated with social, emotional and mental health needs.

Welcome to our Special Needs School in Leyland, Lancashire

All of us here at Aurora Brooklands are delighted that you are considering our school for your child.

We understand that your experience of mainstream education may not always have been positive, so we are committed to providing a nurturing, welcoming environment for your whole family.

The school offers small class sizes of no more than 8 students, supported by a teacher and a teaching assistant. We are also able to offer input from our onsite psychology and intervention services to support social, emotional and mental health wellbeing and ensure that Education, Health and Care Plan targets are achieved.

At Aurora Brooklands, your child will not be lost in the crowd.

Instead, they will become part of a unique and creative learning community, in which everyone feels cared for, challenged and inspired.

Our School

Aurora Brooklands is an independent specialist day school, offering personalised academic and therapeutic support to young people aged 9-16 who face various challenges associated with social, emotional and mental health needs.

Many of the young people who come to us have had a poor experience of formal educational settings in the past, and may face significant barriers to learning. But with the support of our skilled and experienced teaching and therapeutic staff, they are able to overcome these barriers and to develop the skills they need to thrive in their lives beyond school.

We focus on providing a creative and stimulating learning environment while building genuine trust between our students and the adults that work with them.

This approach inspires high levels of engagement, facilitating achievement and progress for every student – whatever their background.

Our Facilities

Situated in a semi-rural location just outside of the small town of Leyland, Aurora Brooklands makes extensive use of both on-site and local facilities to enrich learning experiences.

Our school is housed across two buildings and has a range of learning spaces and classrooms, including those resourced specifically for computing, science, art, music, food technology and sports.

Students have access to ‘anytime, anywhere’ learning on our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), as well as personal laptops and a large interactive screen in each class.

Elsewhere on the school site, our students enjoy use of a private wooded area, a multi-use outdoor games area and a number of gardens, which are used for both relaxation and for our Horticultural Studies programme.

Our Curriculum

We offer a unique curriculum based around the core subjects of Maths, English, Science and Computing, alongside a range of foundation subjects selected to provide a balanced, well-rounded education for life. Embedded within the curriculum are a range of ‘life skills’ development opportunities, to fulfil our students’ social and emotional needs and to help them achieve independence.

Our classes are organised according to each student’s needs and abilities, identified through regular assessment and monitoring. We also consider social and emotional factors when establishing classes, to ensure an optimum fit between different members of the group. Some of our students may follow a bespoke learning pathway taking into account their prior attainment, their ability to engage, and any other specific barriers to learning.

For those who require additional academic support, we offer small-group interventions focusing on achievable targets that can be applied back in the classroom.

We also provide support in reading, writing and numeracy through specialist intervention.

We have our own Special Educational Needs and Disability coordinator, weekly access to the services of a Clinical Psychologist, and a full-time Assistant Psychologist on site.

Qualifications

Regardless of the level of a young person’s starting point when they arrive at Aurora Brooklands, we support them to gain appropriate and meaningful qualifications and skills in line with their abilities and interests.

We currently offer GCSEs in Maths, English Language, English Literature, Science, History and Statistics, and functional skills in Maths, English and ICT. Additional courses provide accreditation in PSHE, PE, Humanities and Art.

Students wishing to pursue a vocational route can gain BTEC (or equivalent Level 1 and 2) qualifications in the following areas:

· Motor Mechanics

· Construction

· Sports Studies

· Horticulture

· Land-based Management

· Food Technology

· Catering and Hospitality

Our Outcomes

100% of year 11 students in 2020 progressed into further education or apprenticeships

Zero NEET leavers in 2020