Well-planned transitions support the young person in moving on to the next stage of their life, helping to maximise the chance of a successful placement and so giving them the best possible chance to reach their full potential.
A multi-agency approach
Multi-agency work is central to what we do here at Newbury Manor School, particularly when we are planning transitions for our young people. We consider ourselves the lynchpin in the process, ensuring that all relevant parties are involved and fully-engaged in the process. The result is that we are able to build, implement and monitor tailored, bespoke transition pathways in consultation with:
- The young person
- Parents/carers
- Commissioners
- School education staff
- School care staff
- Therapists
- Anyone else involved in the young person’s care
The school has cultivated very close working relationships with a number of key professional teams, including regular visits from paediatricians and CAMHS, which proves invaluable during transition planning.
Smooth transitions into Newbury Manor School
Upon admission to Newbury Manor School, every pupil starts on our transition curriculum which includes a 1:1 programme that aims to help them lay down roots and build foundations within the school. Students progress at their own pace, building up to working in a small group of two to three people. Usually, after a few years at the school, young people will be ready to move on to working in small classes of four or five children with group support.
Post-16 options at Newbury Manor School
Pupils remaining with us for Post-16 study continue to benefit from bespoke packages that focus on meeting individual need, providing one, or a combination, of:
- In-house teaching
- Therapeutic input
- Support in accessing one of our many local partner colleges
We are proud of our strong track record in supporting our young people transition into the school’s own sixth form as well as into independent access of local mainstream provision.
Moving on from Newbury Manor School
Newbury Manor School focuses on preparing our students for successful adult lives. In recent years, our young people have transitioned to a variety of destinations including:
- Further education
- University
- Apprenticeships
- Employment
- Supported living
We keep in touch with our past students and enjoy hearing of their successes. Many of them lead independent, fulfilling lives and ring us to tell us about them!
Supporting onward pathways
When developing transition plans for our young people, we will always consider any practical steps that can be taken to provide ‘on the ground’ support to the student. This may involve:
- Accompanied familiarisation visits to school/college
- Accompanied taster days in employment
- Working with the therapy team to facilitate gradual integration
- 1:1 support to help students build relationships in their new setting