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VIEW FROM THE CLASSROOM
Fen Rivers Academy: How one SEMH special school supports those for whom mainstream doesn’t fit
secondary provisions, of which a high proportion are from a disadvantaged background, with 57% on Free School Meals (FSM). All of our students have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) relating to their SEMH needs. The Fen Rivers Academy provides these students with high quality teaching and learning based on effective relationships that enable the achievement of life skills and meaningful qualifications.
What role do SEMH schools play in supporting excluded children? There has been a lot in the news recently about increasing exclusion rates. One of the central questions asked across the education sector is: how can we help vulnerable and marginalised students to thrive in school? Too often, mainstream schools lack an answer, landing upon a solution which can drastically impact a child’s prospects – permanent exclusion. In mainstream, with tightening budgets and
I
n our ever popular View from the classroom feature this month we’re
delighted to hear from Amanda Fewkes, Headteacher at Fen Rivers Academy in Norfolk, who explains the role her school, and others like it, play in supporting children excluded from mainstream education.
Tell us about your school The Fen Rivers Academy is a special school for young people aged 5-16 years old with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs, located in Kings Lynn, Norfolk. There are currently 44 students enrolled across our primary and
overworked staff, the often-complex needs of students with SEMH are commonly unable to be met. Of course, not all children with SEMH needs become permanently excluded from mainstream, and many have a happy and supported education, but it is true that children with SEMH as a primary need are disproportionately affected, being around 3.8 times more likely than their peers to be excluded. That is where the Fen Rivers Academy comes
in. Our school is a therapeutic SEMH Special School offering full-time education and therapeutic support for up to 96 children and young people, many of whom have been
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www.education-today.co.uk
permanently excluded from their previous school. When a child is pushed outside of mainstream education, our school, and many others like ours, offers the care and support that some of the most vulnerable children need. Inclusion and nurture are a central part of our
school’s operations. Our trauma informed approach embeds a therapeutic delivery of the national curriculum, informed by a collective understanding of our children’s needs and rights. This is underpinned by SEMH assessment, support plans and risk assessments, and the normalisation of conversation around mental health and wellbeing. We have high aspirations for our learners and
aim to close the attainment gap of our cohort compared to their peers. We also, if it is in the best interests of the child, help them to return and reintegrate into mainstream school. Ultimately, our vision is to have Fen Rivers learners leave us a positive member of society whose needs have been understood and met and who are ready to move to the next stage of education or employment, which is something that every child, excluded or not, deserves.
What interventions does the Fen Rivers Academy use to support its students with SEMH? The term SEMH was first used in the 2014 SEND Code of Practice. Before this, BESD (Behaviour Emotional Social Development) and EBD (Emotional & Behaviour Difficulties) were commonplace. The new abbreviation, SEMH, was the first to cut out the word behaviour in efforts
June 2022
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