Our Provision for Schools
Educational Diversity offers support for mainstream schools and academies in meeting the needs of some of their vulnerable young people. This section of the website explains the types of provision and how schools can access the support.
Our main areas of support are:
Home, Hospital Education Service- our service supports young people with medical or emotional needs who are referred by medical professionals and CAMHS practitioners. This is within our Home, Hospital Education Service based at our Athena site on Whitegate Drive. The young people are referred via the Home, Hospital Education Service (Athena) multi agency panel of professionals who give consideration as to whether the young person’s needs can be best met at Athena or whether additional support could be given to retain them within their mainstream setting.
Short-stay- our service supports young people in need of short term intervention that supports positive behaviour change, this is known as the LINK programme
Staff Training in Management of Actual or Potential Aggression (MAPA)- We are an accredited training provider for MAPA. The aim of MAPA is to prevent behaviour escalation through non-physical interventions. Participants are taught verbal and non-verbal strategies to prevent the development of a crisis situation.
We are looking to further develop our provision of support, and are working with our schools partners to devise a support programme that is inline with Blackpool's Inclusion Strategy
Educational Diversity
LINK Provision
2022 - 24
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To support, and empower young people, to remain and succeed within mainstream education.
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To provide young people who are ready to make positive behaviour change with key strategies to help them take more responsibility for their actions.
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To develop resilience, raise self-esteem and encourage independent learning.
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Ensure that all young people make progress academically, alongside their social, emotional, and mental health needs.
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To identify any unmet learning needs such as SLCN and provide recommendations for primary & secondary colleagues that will help address barriers to learning.
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To support successful re-integrations back into mainstream provision.
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To work with primary & secondary colleagues to identify strategies to support their students upon return to mainstream.
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To support mediation between the young person and school where relevant, using restorative approaches.
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Know How - NLP, CBT - child focused, emotional wellbeing and mindfulness. Celebrating their successes, team building and promoting diversity. This will be developed and will be bespoke to the students, aiming to help them better understand themselves and their behaviour.
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Project based learning, will include employability and aspirational work.
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Enrichment opportunities.
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Children’s learning is understood developmentally
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The classroom offers a safe base.
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Nurture is important for the development of self-esteem.
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Language is understood as a vital means of communication.
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All behaviour is communication.
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Transitions are significant in the lives of children
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KS2- 08.45- 14.15, providing 25 guided learning hours.
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KS3- 09:00 - 14:30, providing 25 guided learning hours.
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Review meetings will take place at regular points- at 7 weeks a review meeting will take place before reintegration starts. Review reports will go to schools at 6 weeks and at the end of the 12 week period.
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At the 7 week review meeting those attending will agree to the plans for re-integration
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The review meetings must be attended by representatives from the school, Educational Diversity, the parent/carer, the child (or the voice of the child is represented), and other relevant professionals (for example: health, SEND, Children Social Care, police).
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The review meetings are to discuss the child’s social & emotional, behavioural and academic progress and the strategies that are working well.
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To ensure that a Blackpool learner that is in need of making positive behaviour change are identified and supported quickly to maximise inclusion and attendance.
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To minimise the time that learners spend out of school.
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To involve key agencies in the decision process as to how best to support and place individual learners
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To be fair and transparent
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To have the engagement and confidence of all schools and agencies.
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Learners referred through the Link referral panel from mainstream colleagues in consultation with agencies involved with the individual
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All admissions for specialist support at the Link programme will be temporary, with an agreement to return full-time to mainstream education at the end of the 12 week placement.
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Secondary Headteacher representative
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Primary Headteacher representative
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Local Authority Admissions Team
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Our Children Education Team
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Local Authority Senior SEND Manager
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CAMHS Team representative
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Headteacher Educational Diversity
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Assistant Headteacher Educational Diversity
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Head of Schools’ Standards, Safeguarding and Inclusion (Chair)
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21st March 2023 for after Easter start (sufficient time to allow for induction meetings)
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4th July 2023 for September start
Home, Hospital Education Service
Part of our service supports young people with medical or emotional needs who are referred by medical professionals and CAMHS practitioners. This is within our Home, Hospital Education Service based at our Athena site on Whitegate Drive. The young people are referred via the Home, Hospital Education Service (Athena) multi agency panel of professionals who give consideration as to whether the young person’s needs can be best met at Athena or whether additional support could be given to retain them within their mainstream setting.
Athena Admissions
The Management of Actual or Potential Aggression (MAPA) Training
The Management of Actual or Potential Aggression (MAPA) training is one of the behaviour management training options available for Departmental staff. It provides strategies and skills to safely respond to anxious, hostile or violent behaviour. The aim of MAPA is to prevent behaviour escalation through non-physical interventions. Participants are taught verbal and non-verbal strategies to prevent the development of a crisis situation.
Type of Training | How it is delivered | Duration | Cost |
Pivotal MAPA - Refresher Blended Learning Course. |
Online learning To be completed prior to the virtual classroom session. Face to face session To be completed after online course. |
2.5h online learning AND 3.5h face to face session |
Available on request |
Pivotal MAPA - Full Blended learning course |
Online learning To be completed prior to the virtual classroom session. Face to face session To be completed after online course. |
2.5h online learning AND 1 day face to face session |
Available on request |