Risk assessments are completed from the host school where necessary; we also complete a risk assessment of all of our students when we have enough information about them (within their first month). This is updated on a termly basis as well as an assessment on the student’s personal / social /emotional and behavioural development. This enables the staff in school to take this into account when working with your child. These assessments are carried out by the student’s form tutor, form TA and other staff where appropriate. This information is shared with parents in the regular meetings we have with them.
At The Clifton Centre PRU we have daily handovers / briefings before and after the school day to discuss the students. Their daily points and behaviour is discussed on an individual basis and parents are contacted if there has been an issue or concern.
Most students are transported into the PRU and this is on a needs / distance from home basis. Students make their own way home unless it is on their EHC plan that transport is provided.
Bespoke arrangements can be made for individuals as well as the normal arrangements if it is deemed necessary and is part of their plan. For example if they need to have a reduced timetable where they come into school at a different time from the norm or if they access some alternative provision in addition to their lessons in school. This could be in a college or with the youth service.
We have a fully staffed provision at our Manor Road site where we can offer education to our vulnerable students or students who for whatever reason do not feel confident or ready to assess full PRU provision at The Clifton Centre.
Clifton Centre has been given the opportunity to take part in a project that will run jointly between schools and Greater Manchester Police. The project called Operation Encompass, has been designed to provide early reporting of any domestic abuse incidents that occur outside school, which might have an impact on a child in school. This is communicated through a secure email to school following an incident.
The project ensures that at least one member of the school staff, known as the Key Adult, is available to liaise with children's services and the police and to use the information that has been shared in confidence.
In this way, we aim to support each child who has been involved in, or witnessed, a domestic abuse incident.
The Key Adults at Clifton Centre are Alison Johnston and Yvonne Miller.
If an Encompass notification is received, they will make sure that a person the child trusts is available to help - if the child needs this. Most of the time this support is silent; keeping a careful eye on him or her and making sure the child has a calm school day. The confidential information is ordinarily not shared with all staff, just an agreement on how to help, if needed.
All schools have a duty to share any information with other organisations if they feel a child is at risk of being hurt. The Key Adult may contact other organisations.
The sharing of information from the police allows the school to be ready to help your child straight away, and it means that parents are aware that the Key Adult knows that something has happened. Parents can come and talk to our Key Adult. The Key Adult can point you towards other people that can help.