Referral Process
We accept referrals all year round for children and young people whose places are funded by a United Kingdom placing authority. The school provide spaces for day students who are living at home with parents or foster carers as well as Looked After Children (LAC) who are residents within Cambian residential services or other residential service external to Cambian. All referrals into our services are planned. We do not take emergency placements.
Integration & Placement Planning
Children and young people progress and thrive in safe and secure environment, our goal is to improve life chances is contingent on being able to provide stable and successful placements.
The staff and management at Cambian Great Dunmow School are very aware that it can be quite difficult for young people to transition into a new environment. Our aim is to ensure that students feel safe and comfortable as they integrate into the school environment. We therefore work collaboratively with parents and placing authorities to plan integration into school so that this happens as smoothly as possible.
We will meet young people in their environment, whether home or school before they come into school. We will then invite young people to have a look around the school and meet with staff and other pupils. Where necessary we support a taster session which allows prospective pupils to join in lessons and activities before offering a placement within our school.
Each placement is decided on a case by case basis. There will be situations in which it may be agreed that a young person is not deemed ready to access full time education or required additional support in order to do so. Depending on the level of support needed by young people to adjust to the school environment and the expectations, additional adults may be utilized. We are also likely to build up to a full timetable where there are significant barriers to learning. Where necessary we will provide outreach education for those young people that not well enough come into school.
If you would like some advice or more information about Great Dunmow School, contact us here.