Latest News

Two Tons of Free Top-Soil for our Allotments !!

A very big thank you to RW Almonds who are a firm of builder’s merchants based in Formby who kindly donated and delivered two tones of top soil. The students were keen to get the new raised beds filled up so we could plant our seeds and bulbs. Here’s hoping for a bumper crop and once again thanks to RW Almonds. -- www.rwalmond.co.uk

For more pictures and updates of our Allotments please follow this link
Redbridge Allotments.

 

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Fully accessible toilet /changing room facilities now available at two of Liverpool Parks

Hello everyone,
Changing Places are creating opportunities and changing lives across the UK. Through funding from Liverpool Aiming High for Disabled Children and in partnership with Parks and Green spaces, we are pleased and excited that finally, we can announce the celebration and opening of 2 fixed Changing Places, complete with overhead trackhoist and adjustable height changing table, in two of our major parks in Liverpool.

There will be one fixed Changing Place facility in Croxteth Country Park and one in Calderstones Park, close to the Mansion House, in South Liverpool.

We have been able to adapt 2 toilets with fully accessible Changing Place facilities which will enable more disabled young people, adults and their families to enjoy the freedom of going to Liverpool’s lovely parks for a relaxing day, without having to rush home to use hoist and other facilities there. For more about nationally available facilities see www.changing-places.org


For more information on this or any queries you may have, the team can be contacted by Telephone

Kind Regards
Lou Dukalski
On behalf of Liverpool Changing Places working Group
0151 702 0753

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Redbridge Awarded Advanced Inclusion Charter Mark Award !

Paul Cronin,
Headteacher
Redbridge High School
Liverpool

7th March 2011

Dear Paul,

It was a pleasure to visit your school recently and award the Inclusion Charter Mark Award at Advanced Level. I would like to thank you for arranging a well organised and purposeful morning and for the outstanding documentation that supported the assessment process.

The validation visit included an examination of key documents and policies, a tour of the school, attendance at a morning briefing and discussions with the Headteacher, a parent governor, members of the school council, the school’s Outreach Coordinator, two Pastoral and Learning Support Workers, the school’s Inclusion Manager/SENCO and the assigned Physiotherapist.

I have summarised below the key observations that support my judgement:

• The school was judged outstanding by Ofsted in March 2010. The glowing report evidences the school’s drive to improve further and ensure the very best outcomes for all its students. It highlights the school’s many strengths including the quality of learning and teaching, ambitious leadership, the engagement and progress of students and support of parents.

• The School Improvement Plan and the ‘Overview of School Improvement Priorities’ are clearly focussed and draw upon the last Ofsted report and the detailed and robust school self evaluation form. A strength of these plans is where the school targets are linked to outcomes for students.

• The school’s Disability Equality Scheme, Equal Opportunities Policy and Accessibility Plan set out the school’s strong commitment to inclusion. The school appropriately matches its values to the ‘Every Child Matters Outcomes’. This holistic approach is evident in all aspects of the schools work.

• The school has high expectations for all students and colleagues. Underpinning this culture and ethos is the commitment to valuing everyone as individuals. This was evident when speaking to staff, students and parents. As an example, the parent governor enthused about the support that had been given to her son and in particular how her son had been ‘encouraged to achieve academically as well as socially.’ She noted the progress he had made during the last five years and how he was now working towards challenging qualifications. The parent described the school as being extremely ‘friendly, caring and supportive.’ The school’s willingness to go the extra mile for their students and families was summarised in the following comment: ‘They are always there to help and only a phone call away’

• The meeting with support staff and other colleagues confirmed that roles and responsibilities were clearly defined and that there was a shared commitment to inclusion. The staff saw themselves very much as a team. They felt that the school was innovative and always seeking to improve. In describing the schools strengths they referred to the importance of ‘working together’ and ‘focussing on individuals’. The staff teams were seen as a positive way of working collaboratively. It is evident that the school’s performance management processes and professional development programme are aligned to whole school priorities whilst taking account of individual’s needs.

• The school’s outreach programme and partnership with other agencies are a real strength of the school. The school has pioneered the ‘team around the school’ and ‘team around the child’ approach and is very much a centre of excellence for multi agency working. Visiting colleagues were extremely positive about how their work was integrated into the curriculum and felt very much as part of an extended school team. The school and Headteacher take an active role both locally and regionally in establishing and sharing best practice.

• The school council spoke passionately about the extensive range of curricular and extra curricular activities that had been involved in. They were aware of what they needed to do to improve further and made reference to their annual reviews. They shared examples of how they had been involved in whole school decisions. It was evident that students were aware how that would be supported in their transition to adult life and further education.

• The students’ behaviour was exemplary throughout the visit. During the snap shops of lessons observed it was evident that support was highly effective and took account of students with very complex needs.

I hope this captures the outstanding commitment towards inclusion that was evident during my visit. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone, on behalf of the Local Authority, for all your hard work.

Yours sincerely,

 

Phil Cooper
Senior School Improvement Officer
Safeguarding & Inclusion
School Support & Challenge