What to expect from Manor Abbey Special Free School
Manor Abbey Special Free School is part of the family of 15 Special Schools and Alternative Provision managed by Manor Hall Academy Trust. The trust was formed by the federation of two SEMH schools in 2015, and its wealth of experience and knowledge in the SEND sector contributes to a holistic, high-quality educational offering for all children and young people.
The new school will be purpose-built, designed specifically to cater to the needs of students with Social Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) difficulties. Drawing upon the collective expertise of the entire trust, the school will provide a comprehensive educational experience.
The school’s ethos aligns with the trust’s overarching aims of building relationships, celebrating success, and promoting progress. Establishing strong relationships is fundamental to engaging SEMH students and facilitating their learning and progress. These relationships also serve as a foundation for students to learn self-advocacy and experience success beyond their school years.
The curriculum at Manor Abbey will meet the requirements of the National Curriculum while allowing for personalised learning journeys tailored to individual needs. Teaching methods and learning styles will be adapted to help students overcome any barriers they may have faced in previous school settings.
The school believes that the combination of high-quality relationships and personalised learning approaches is a proven formula for success in SEMH settings. Manor Abbey Special Free School will provide an aspirational environment for students who may have had negative experiences in the past, offering them a vibrant, relevant, and enjoyable educational experience.
A typical day at Manor Abbey
A typical day at Manor Abbey revolves around a hybrid timetable that combines elements of both primary and secondary school structures. Here’s what you can expect:
- All year groups follow the hybrid timetable, ensuring that each class group in every year has a home form room, a class tutor, and a teaching assistant.
- Basic skills lessons, including Mathematics and English, are delivered by class teachers. These lessons primarily take place in the morning, and during this time, the class remains in their form room with their familiar staff teaching team.
- Classes will transition from their form rooms to specialised subject teaching areas such as Art, Design Technology, Food Technology, Science, and Physical Education. The class teaching assistant accompanies them to ensure the effective implementation of any necessary behavioural or emotional support strategies.
- Pupils facing difficulties for any reason will have access to support from Inclusions Officers, and there will be a dedicated area for emotional support. The school acknowledges that students in such a setting often find it challenging to focus on work tasks when they have emotional or mental health barriers. Therefore, brief periods of respite and attentive adult support will be provided to help students develop self-help strategies over time and enhance their resilience.
- Break times and lunchtimes will offer a structured program of engaging activities or areas designed to cater to different pupil needs. This may include opportunities for active participation or quiet spaces, depending on individual requirements.
- Break times and lunchtimes will offer a structured program of engaging activities or areas designed to cater to different pupil needs. This may include opportunities for active participation or quiet spaces, depending on individual requirements.
- The school emphasises a healthy balance of on-site activities to support a diverse range of learning experiences. This can include engaging in fun challenge days, participating in charity events, competing in sports tournaments, and promoting positive mental health days, among others. Additionally, there will be a strong emphasis on off-site school trips to enhance cultural capital, allowing students to connect their learning, apply social skills, experience different cultures, and engage in supervised and positive interactions with the public.
- The curriculum and timetable design provide flexibility for staff, who have a deep understanding of the students, to recognise how, when, and where to challenge students effectively and maximise their learning potential.
- High-quality and consistent parental/carer liaison plays an essential role in the school’s success. The communication and collaboration between teaching teams, senior leaders, and parents/carers are key in supporting the school’s vision of building relationships, celebrating success, and promoting progress.
Overall, Manor Abbey strives to create a nurturing environment where students can flourish academically, socially, and emotionally.
Admissions
Please be informed that the placement procedure at Manor Abbey Special Free School is subject to the mandatory consultation process. Therefore, all placement requests must be processed through Stoke’s SENMAS team, who will reach out to the school to discuss potential placements. We will be hosting engagement events where families of prospective pupils can gather more information about the school, its offerings, and its position in Stoke’s SEND provision. If you have any inquiries, please feel free to contact SENMAS by sending an email to senmas@stoke.gov.uk.
To ensure that placements at Manor Abbey align with the needs outlined in each student’s EHCP, the school has an internal admissions process that involves a discussion between parents, pupils, and the senior leadership team.
This dialogue allows for an effective assessment of the suitability of a placement at Manor Abbey and ensures that we can fully meet the stated needs of each EHCP. We anticipate that this process will commence in Autumn 2023.
