Cricket Green School

Cricket Green School is a Maintained special school for children with complex and varied needs, moderate learning difficulties, emotional and behavioural difficulties and those on the autistic spectrum (ASD). 

 Type of School  Community Special School  
 Gender  Mixed
 Religious Affiliation    None
 DfE Number  315 7006

Website

Who to contact

Telephone
020 8640 1177 020 8640 1177
E-mail
office@cricketgreen.merton.sch.uk

Location

Address
Lower Green West
Mitcham
Postcode

CR4 3AF

View CR4 3AF on a map

Time / Date Details

Session Information
Monday to Friday

Availability

Referral required
Referral Details

All admissions to Community Special Schools are referrals through the Local Authority. Requests can come from other boroughs local to the area and for parity and fairness, are processed in the same way through London Borough of Merton

A child / student has to have an Education, Health and Care Plan or Statement of SEN to attend Cricket Green School

Inclusion Information

Wheelchair access

Has provision
No

Special needs

Has provision
No

Special diet

Has provision
No

Cultural provision

Has provision
No

Childcare Information

Funded places

2-year-olds
3 & 4 year olds
Extended entitlement for 3 and 4-year-olds

Local Offer

Description

Entry to Cricket Green School is via an EHCP (Education, Health and Care plan) or Statement of Special Educational Needs. All applications should be made via the Merton SEN team including those from outside the London Borough of Merton.

Parents and children may visit the school and should arrange this directly with the Headteacher.

The curriculum has a strong focus on Life Skills, such as cooking, shopping and travel.

Accredited qualifications are available at Entry Level and Level 1 in Functional Maths, English, ICT and Science. Entry Pathways Qualification Units can be taken in music, PSHE, drama and food technology. Arts Award Discover & Explore. Youth Award Scheme and Duke of Edinburgh Bronze and Silver. ASDAN Focus, ASDAN Towards Independence. BTEC Level 1 Leadership and Teamwork.

6th Form Accreditation includes ASDAN Life-Skills Challenge, ASDAN Focus and ASDAN Towards Independence.

Links
SEN Information Report

Schools Extended Local Offer Response

How does the setting/school/college know if children/young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child/young person may have special educational needs?

Assessing our ability to meet your child/'s needs

  • Consideration of  paperwork ; look at needs, levels and professional input required ( e.g: Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy)
  • Discussion at panel with other professionals such as Educational Psychologist/ Speech & Language Therapist
  • Possibly visit to current setting
  • Parental visits made to the school with the Head or senior staff.
  • Child or young person may visit the school
How will early years setting/school/college staff support my child/young person?

Applying for a place, asking for a replacement at Cricket Green School and referral

  • All pupils must have been assessed and given an Annual Review (AR) / Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), unless new to the country
  • Assessment for places for those without an AR /EHC plan is at Local Authority (LA) request
  • Eligibility criteria is that learning needs fall into the moderate / severe learning range, possibly  with other diagnosed needs such as ASD, Speech and language impairment, medical, physical, sensory impairment. (Pupils with PMLD are not eligible as their learning needs cannot be met through the curriculum delivery / health professional availability)
  • Admissions are through the LA admissions processes.
  • Pupils may be referred by Early Years professionals, through an Annual Review request to panel, by parental request to the LA or from another LA SEN department.
  • If anyone wishes to view the school,  visits are arranged directly with the Headteacher.
  • Parents are advised to visit prior to placement on occasions being supported by the LA “Parent Partnership Service.”
How will the curriculum be matched to my child's/young person's needs?
  • All pupils’ progress and well-being is monitored throughout the year primarily by the class teacher and reports are generated through scheduled Individual Education Plan (IEP), Annual Review/Educational Health Care plans and pupil progress meetings. During the meetings the relevant professionals will agree in conference with the parent and child, where appropriate, and arrange for the pupil to gain access to wave 1,2, and 3 support and interventions as needed. This support is monitored and reviewed on a provision map and updated termly or when the intervention is complete.
  • All support and provisions are agreed upon in a multi-agency approach usually with the Head teacher chairing the meetings.
    • We use a range of evidence inclusive of hard and soft data from the necessary professionals, parental and pupil testimonies/opinions, observation reports and the Educational Health Care plan.
    • The specialist support is allocated if the pupil’s needs meet the criteria in the referral process.
    • A meeting will be set up to explain the process with parent or carer, this may be during a scheduled meeting like Parents Evening or a discrete meeting may be arranged at the parents/carers’ or Head teacher’s request.
    • Interventions may be provided by trained support assistants, teachers, senior or specialist teachers, therapists, sensory teams,  therapists and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAHMS)
  • Each intervention is delivered by practitioners with the necessary training and experience. All interventions are monitored and reviewed to measure impact and progress towards targets.
  • All school staff access training throughout their careers, from Induction to developing specialist skills.
  • Appropriately skilled and trained people work with the pupils, and train school staff, as appropriate, to create as much opportunity for professional development as possible.
  • Each provision is monitored rigorously and recorded on SIMS (provision mapping) to measure the quality of impact and cost effectiveness. All pupils have an Individual Education Plan which is officially reviewed and updated twice per year.
  • Governors are appraised of the provisions and support offered by the school during governor’s meetings. They also play an integral part in the school’s growth, providing employment and resources for specialists inclusive of therapists and agencies that may work with pupils and their families.
How will both you and I know how my child/young person is doing and how will you help me to support my child's/young person's learning?
  • At CGS we believe it is our duty to personalise the curriculum and environment to meet the needs of every individual. This means that all lessons are differentiated and tailored to enable pupils to access the curriculum and achieve their very best in all areas of school life. Their achievements and progress are tracked and measured where we aim to increase the life opportunities of all of our pupils and young adults.
  • A range of professionals may help to plan specific interventions for pupils alongside the class teacher.
  • The curriculum is based on the Creative Curriculum combined with specific work on literacy, numeracy and social skills. Our approach enables pupils to develop skills, follow patterns of thought and revisit topics on a two yearly basis.  The Creative Curriculum is underpinned by the Skills Ladders developed by the school to show skill steps in History, Geography, Science, Art, Technology, Drama, Music, Personal Social Health Education, Social skills, R.E and ICT. All pupils have individual education plans (IEPs), which reflect annual review /EHCP  targets and termly objectives. All pupils in the Secondary school use the specialist rooms for Art, Music and Food technology.  All areas of the curriculum are delivered either as discrete subjects or as part of the Creative Curriculum
  • Specialist equipment is obtained by the school through various resources including: Grants, pupil premium funds, school budget and requests for funding from the borough
What support will there be for my child's/young person's overall well being?
  • Attainment and progress is measured, monitored and recorded by class teachers and senior leaders using curriculum levels and skills ladder descriptors. There is an embedded cycle which encompasses the quality of Teaching and Learning and the accuracy of levelling. Pupils’ levels are kept on CASPA and the standard of their progress in compared to the guidelines set out in the National Progression Guidance, Raise and the extensive comparison set (up to 100,000 pupils) on CASPA.
  • The social and emotional needs of the pupils and students at Cricket Green are met primarily through the ethos of the school, the manner in which they are treated and the invisible curriculum. Care guidance and support is the foundation on which all learning is built. Their progress is measured using hard and soft data inclusive of reports, assessment skills ladders from Social skills, Drama, PSHE lessons, parental and pupil questionnaires/testimonies, therapy intervention, case studies and small group CAMHS/ELSA work. Samples/data will be kept on CASPA and in the ‘pupils’ profiles’ and measured using the most up to date bench marks.
What specialist services and expertise are avaliable at or accessed by the setting/school/college?
  • Initial IEP meetings are held within 2 months of a pupil first attending Cricket Green
  • There are two Parents meetings a year to discuss progress and IEPs
  • IEP / SLT / OT targets are all shared with parents.
  • Meetings can be arranged outside of these usual meetings with class staff or other professional such as SALT / OT
  • Statement review / EHCP review meetings are held annually
  • Celebration evening at the end of the year with the opportunity to discuss the end of year report and see the pupil’s work
  • For any pupil who is out of school work will be provided and opportunities will be made for the parent to discuss the work and progress with the class teacher and assistant head
  • Home school books are used for all pupils in KS 1 &2 and may be used for some pupils in the secondary phase of the school
  • E mail contact can be used
  • After pupil progress meetings some pupils will receive additional support or interventions which will be shared with the parents
  • Pupils attending alternative provisions are subject to the same reviews and target setting.
What training have the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had? Are any being trained currently?
  • Prior to the starting at Cricket Green, schools are contacted to make transition plans.  This can take the form of informal visits to school, regular link visits for particular topics, attendance at Annual Reviews or Cricket Green staff visiting the children at their current school. 
  • Important information about a child’s learning and social needs are obtained from their current provisions to inform our planning and any adaptations that need to be made.
  • The primary children and any other child where it is deemed appropriate receive a home visit by the Assistant Head and / or Family Support Worker, to meet with the family, talk through any concerns or anxieties and signpost support networks
  • Once at school, children are given a home/school book which is used for communication between the school staff and families.  Staff write a newsletter every Friday to inform the parents what their child has been learning/doing that week.  Staff will also write regular personal comments about individual achievements and challenges.  Parents are encouraged to do the same.
  • At the beginning of every half term, parents are sent home a Curriculum outline which presents all the topics that their child will be learning about.  This also has ideas for the parents as to how to support and extend this learning at home.
  • Reading journals are sent home daily to inform parents of their daily reading sessions – parents are encouraged to write in these too.
  • “Star of the day” certificates are sent home to show parents what is being celebrated for that child at school.
  • Parents are encouraged to attend all festivals to celebrate learning alongside their child e.g. Harvest, Christmas, Film festivals, Art exhibitions etc.
  • Parents have access to the parenting programmes, Early Bird Plus courses, ICT training, literacy and numeracy basic skills or any individualised support provided by the Family Support Worker.
  • Questionnaires are produced at parents evenings to consult with  parents about their views of aspects of school, what we do well and what we need to improve upon.
  • Parents continue to remain in contact with the school long after their child has left and are always welcome.  This is possibly as a result of the support and nurturing they received, and continue to receive.
How will my child/young person be included in activities outside this classroom including school trips?

Child Protection (CP) training is given to all new staff through their induction and updated annually for existing staff. This explains the importance of sharing information and following procedures to ensure the welfare of our pupils is our primary concern.

  • Two staff have responsibility for CP, the Headteacher and an Assistant Head. Their training is ongoing and subject to constant update.
  • Care plans are completed by the school nurse and parents as needed for individual pupils.
  • Information on pupils with care plans are shared with the staff across the school.
  • Medical training is renewed annually for all staff, for managing epilepsy and anaphylactic shock and Specific training is offered to groups of staff as needed eg: epilepsy, diabetes, tracheotomy etc.
  • Regular meetings are held between the school nurse and the assistant head with responsibility for pastoral care
  • Merton CAMHS referrals can be made by the school. Names of pupils who may be referred come through discussions with parents, requests for support directly from the parents, concerns raised by staff or from the pupil themselves.
  • We have a Tier 2 CAMHS worker based at the school 3 days a week. Pupils receive support either on an individual basis or as part of a small group of pupils who may all be experiencing the same issues.
  • Music therapy has been offered through CAMHS
  • Regular meetings are held with the EWO to monitor attendance. The parents of any pupils whose attendance is causing concern are contacted initially by letter. If there are no improvements phone calls will be made to discuss the concerns and a plan to increase attendance put in place. Support may be offered by the school to improve this.
  • Letters from the Education Welfare Officer and further action may be taken in cases where attendance doesn't meet expectations.
  • Positive attendance is rewarded by certificates awarded for 100% attendance at the end of each term
  • Management plans are used as needed to support pupils to modify their behaviour, in conjunction with parental support.
  • The schools educational psychologist can offer support and guidance.
  • Anti-bullying work and self-esteem raising forms part of the PSHE programme
  • The school has focused weeks when issues about appropriate social behaviour are discussed and celebrated.
  • Any incidents of bullying or inappropriate behaviour are managed by staff who know the pupils. The ways of resolving issues depends on the age, ability and needs of the pupil.
  • Through social skills lessons, Circle times and class reflection time pupils are encouraged to share their feelings, seek resolution and deal with upset or conflict. 
  • Annual reviews are held termly and run by the Head or senior staff.
  • The transition to EHC plans will run alongside this process.
  • Yr 9 Annual Reviews are transition reviews and start the process of considering and planning for  the transition into adult life.
  • Yr 11 Annual Reviews consider placement post 16.
  • Dependent on statemented need or professional involvement reports are requested and invites sent. Meeting dates are offered to parents.
  • Minutes are recorded and shared, usually at the meeting. These record progress, views and recommend any changes to the statement of provision. In exceptional circumstances some reviews are typed up post meeting.
  • All information is shared with parents / guardians/ professionals.
How accessible is the setting/school/college enviroment?
  • Pupils have an opportunity to express their views through Circle times, pupil Council meetings and our “Rights Respecting Schools” initiative. Aside from these set times, pupils also have opportunities to speak with staff or mentors on a daily basis.
  • The pupils have the opportunity to organise Pupil Voice events throughout the year through “Rights Respecting schools” and the Pupil Council.
  • Pupils from KS3 upwards may contribute to review meetings.
  • Pupils from KS3 upwards may be involved in their target setting and review.
  • A variety of augmentative communication tools are used to increase pupil capacity to offer an opinion, make suggestions or make a decision.
How will the setting/school/college prepare and support my child/young person to join the setting/school/college or the next stage of education and life?
  • Occupational therapy
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Physiotherapy
  • Sensory teams: Hearing Impairment / Visual Impairment
  • Educational Psychologist
  • School nurse
  • Drama therapist (school based)
  • Play therapist (school based)
  • CAMHS worker and access to CAMHs team
  • Virtual school for LAC pupils
  • Integrated service team for support with social needs
  • Short breaks service
  • MENCAP
  • Qualified Travel trainer
  • ASD qualified staff leading the Merton Autism Outreach Service (MAOS)
How are the setting's/school's/college's resources allocated and matched to children's/young people's special educational needs?
  • All staff  (teachers, admin, support assistants and lunchtime staff) have access to training which is delivered through the school’s CPD programme and linked to observations, school improvement programme and the appraisal process. Training of staff includes courses, weekly INSET and training through the Teaching School offer.
  • Head teacher – QTS, Degree level qualification, NPQH, evidence of advanced study
  • Deputy  head – QTS, Degree level qualification, experience of different settings, mainstream experience
  • Assistant head – QTS, Degree/ Masters option, Specific experience of SEN
  • Teaching and Learning  responsibility postholders  - Qualified Teacher Status, Degree/ Masters option, Middle leaders course and extensive experience in subject area
  • Teaching staff: QTS
How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child/young person will receive?
  • All classes participate in educational visits both locally and to key areas around London related to the curriculum. Currently residential trips have been offered to KS4 and KS5 students to Sayers Croft, Eastbourne and Butlins.
  • Every child will have access to activities that are appropriate for their social, emotional and cognitive development, the inclusivity of which is based upon equality and need.
  • Life skills and using the local community are key aspects of the CGS curriculum offer
  • Parents are invited to participate in the process of planning residential visits and they are also welcome to experience day trips with their child’s class.
  • Risk assessments are completed by key members of staff and signed off by a senior member of staff.
  • Key staff undertake training in organising Educational Visits.
How are parents involved in the setting/school/college? How can I be involved?
  • Most buildings at CGS are one level, making it wheelchair accessible.
  • Facilities exist throughout the school to enable access for all learners, staff and visitors irrespective of specific need.
  • Equipment or adaptations are used as advised by the sensory team, and the environment is considered to be comfortable for those with SI.
  • Specialist equipment is provided by the school, advised by the sensory team, the physio or OT.
  • Regular visits by the Sensory team ensure that we are up-to-date with any auditory or visual equipment / adaptations that we may need.
  • For families where translation is required or requested, this is a service we buy in as needed. We also use the skills of our multi lingual staff.

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