Granta
We are an area special school catering for pupils aged 3-19 with a range of different needs including ASD, SLD and PMLD. All of our pupils have a learning disability and must have an EHCP in order to attend. How pupils are grouped varies as the children progress through the school. Granta is co-located with Linton Village College and although we do have some links with the college, attendance at Granta does not guarantee links with LVC.
Early Years and Key Stage 1 (3-7 years)
Our youngest pupils are predominantly grouped by their age. At this young age all pupils require a play based approach to their learning so their needs can be well met in the same class as their age related peers. This means the pupil needs vary within the class. It also provides an opportunity for us to really get to know the pupils and assess their learning needs once they are settled in the school environment. Pupils in the Early Years and KS1 students with more complex needs class follow the Early Years curriculum, following a topic based approach to their learning through play, sensory activities and some structured learning tasks. Pupils in the KS1 class follow an adapted National Curriculum that is setup similar to our KS2 Semi-Formal Pathways classes. They all have regular access to a dedicated outdoor area. For more details regarding the Curriculum, please see our Curriculum section.
Key stage 2 (7-11 years)
When pupils move to Key Stage 2 we start to group pupils in pathways, based on individual communication needs, cognitive and social needs, and the way the pupils access their learning. Pupils are predominantly taught by their main class teacher in their class room. Key stage 2 access a larger play space than their younger peers. For more details regarding the Curriculum, please see our Curriculum section.
Key Stage 3 (11-14 years)
Our secondary pupils continue to attend the same school building as they did when in Primary but in a different area of the school. To mark their transition to secondary the uniform changes from light blue to navy blue. KS3 pupils access a larger outdoor space that is shared with KS4. For more details regarding the Curriculum, please see our Curriculum section.
Key Stage 4 (14-16 years)
When pupils enter KS4 the emphasis moves more towards actively preparing pupils for adulthood. While focus on the core subjects and skills remains when pupils join KS4 they also start to do more activities which prepare them for life outside Granta such as work experience. The same outdoor areas continue to be accessed. A small number of pupils may transition to other colleges at the end of KS4. For more details regarding the Curriculum, please see our Curriculum section.
6th Form (16-19 years)
Many of our pupils opt to remain at Granta for their 6th form education. Our Semi Formal Pathway 6th form students have a separate area of the school site which is dedicated to their use to give them a sense of responsibility and maturity. In line with this pupils no longer wear a uniform. They have a common room where they can socialise and practice life skills as well as their own outdoor area which includes features such as benches and a wigwam the pupils have made themselves and garden areas where they grow produce. The focus in 6th form is all about preparing for life outside Granta so alongside the core subjects pupils will take part in work experience, enterprise and group projects which help them develop life skills.
Our Formal Pathway 6th Form pupils attend the Granta Hive, our second school site which is next to Abington Woods. This is a stepping stone between school and college and offers wider opportunities for pupils to develop life skills for example through outdoor learning and larger scale enterprise work. For more details regarding the Curriculum, please see our Curriculum section.
Pupil Groupings
From Key stage 2 upwards our pupils are placed in pathways and not year groups. While personality is of course taken into account the groups are largely built on pupils’ communication and cognition needs and how they access the curriculum.
Pupils with complex medical health needs
We recognise that our pupils with complex health and mobility needs access their learning in a different way and to this end from KS2 upwards we group these pupils in a pathway with specifically trained TA’s and in some cases intervenors. Pupils in this group follow a sensory curriculum based around their physical and medical needs and have a 1:1 staffing ratio. Pupils are supported to interact with their age related peers through (as appropriate) accessing sessions in with their KS peers, joining in activity weeks, joining the groups for lunch time etc
Accreditation
Our aim is for all pupils to leave Granta with an accreditation which values the progress they have made during their time with us. The accreditation route will differ from pupil to pupil but may include things such as ASDAN, Duke of Edinburgh Award and Functional Skills. The route each child takes will reflect their unique skills and talents. We do not offer GCSEs for any of our pathways, as they are not suitable for our current cohort to access.
Forest Schools
We are lucky to have a dedicated forest school site adjoining school which we are able to access. Pupils are able to take part in nature explorer sessions in their classes or Forest School sessions with our qualified teacher.
Specialist Rooms
We have a number of different specialist rooms which pupils may access during their time at Granta. The adventure room is our soft play area which is used predominantly by our younger pupils or older pupils with mobility difficulties. Pupils are encouraged to be physically active and share a social space with their peers.
We have 2 lightrooms in the school which are switch accessible and help pupils develop their understanding of cause and effect. These rooms are also used for pupils with visual impairments to help develop and optimise their visual skills.
At Granta we also have a swimming pool which can be accessed by pupils to support their physical development through Hydrotherapy provision, as well as to teach early swimming skills. The pool is predominantly accessed by primary pupils or those older pupils with mobility difficulties.
Lunchtime arrangements
Pupils eat lunch in the dinner hall or in class. We aim to be a nut free environment so ask that no nut based items are sent into school. Our school meals are cooked on site and a range of dietary requirements can be catered for including gluten free, casein free, halal, pureed or mashed meals. The lunch menus can be provided if pupils have limited diets and would only like a school dinner when certain meals are available. The kitchen can also provide taster plates with a very small amount of food on to try and encourage some of our more reluctant eaters to try different foods.
Lunch times are opportunities for us to develop pupil’s independence, self-help and social skills.
Community Visits
We view community visits as an opportunity to develop pupil’s independence, social and safety awareness skills. Many classes take part in regular walks into Linton or bus trips to Haverhill, Cambridge or the surrounding area. There are also opportunities to to take part in residential trips.
Therapy support
Many of our pupils require support from occupational therapy, physio therapy or speech and language therapy. We have support from all of these specialisms on a visiting basis via the NHS. Therapy support may be in the form of providing equipment, training staff or sometimes 1:1 sessions. It is common for pupils who have speech therapy needs to be discharged from the service when they join a special school or for the role to become advisory due to the different nature of staff training and experience and the environmental supports in place in a special school.
Transport
All transport is arranged via the local authority so as a school we do not have any direct involvement with the arrangements. Many of our pupils to come to school on education transport, predominantly on group mini buses but in some cases in individual taxis.
Home School Communication
Communication between home and school is crucial to help us all work together to support your child. We use Class Dojo as a platform to share information between the settings. We have 2 parents evening a year as well as an annual review meeting where we can discuss your child’s progress in more depth.
We hope that has given you an insight into the school.
