Royal School Manchester at Seashell Trust

Availability

Referral

Referral not required

Referral Details

The School can meet the needs of a broad range of students:

§  Students with profound and multiple learning difficulties including sensory difficulties/ sensory processing difficulties.

§  Students with severe/complex learning difficulties and/or physical disabilities and communication disorders.

§  Students with multi-sensory impairment and severe learning difficulties.

§  Students who are deaf and have severe learning difficulties.

§    Students on the Autistic Spectrum with limited or no verbal communication.

§    Students with severe learning difficulties and complex medical conditions

The school has expertise in working with young people with low-incidence special needs including Autistic Spectrum Condition, Deaf blindness/Multi-Sensory Impairment, Hearing or Visual Impairment with additional complex needs and Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities.

The initial stages of the referral process include a visit to the site by the family, a review of their Statement or Education, Health and Care Plan and may also include a visit by Seashell to the young person in their current placement.

A multi-disciplinary assessment is undertaken on-site at Seashell and this forms the basis of our placement offer.

Other notes

The Royal School supports pupils with an individualised approach to learning that is based on engaging pupils in learning through motivation, personal interest and by using their strengths and preferences to develop their communication. Physical, sensory integration and sensory processing difficulties are met through ensuring, where reasonably practical, that the environment and approach to learning are supportive, appropriate and stimulating.

Learners benefit from a broad and balanced curriculum using a sensory approach aimed at developing communication, physical development independence and life skills. Coverage of the curriculum is based on individual need rather than key stage. Teachers plan individual schemes of work and ensure that acquired skills are presented through age appropriate activities and in different contexts.

We have small class groups and excellent staffing ratios. Our teaching staff have mandatory qualifications in MSI, VI, HI and also Autism.

We provide 1:1 and sometimes 2:1 support from learning support assistants trained to NVQ Level 3 in supporting teaching and learning and including qualified Intervenors for MSI learners and qualified staff for students with ASC. We have expertise in the use of specialist strategies for teaching young people with limited functional communication.

We use a Total Communication approach with expertise across teaching, support and therapy teams in signing, picture communication, tactile communication, electronic communication devices and objects of reference.

 

Learners work through individual timetables on their own study programmes therefore progress is monitored against themselves rather than against their peers. This method of assessment is necessary as each learner is different, working towards different goals using different methods.