NEWSLETTER Ne ws le tte r J u l y 2 0 1 5

V o l u me 3 - Iss ue 30

We bsit e : ww w . oa k l an ds . h ou ns lo w .s c h .u k

Head Teacher's News Dear parents, families and friends, As we reach the end of another school year I can definitely say it has been busier than ever. The students have had a great summer, taking advantage of the lovely weather to go out and about and take part in lots of exciting activities. I really enjoyed joining a large group of students visiting the Hilton Hotel at Heathrow Terminal 4 where staff arranged games and have been fundraising for the school. Students have enjoyed taking part in performance and sports activities. Behind the scenes we continue to work on our new school building project. We have agreed the floorplans and are now working on the design of the internal room layouts. A company has also been engaged to design playground spaces. We hope that the project will remain on time and that an application for planning permission will be made in the autumn. Another big development this year has been the new SEN Code of practice and the conversion of Statements to new Education Healthcare Plans. We have worked with many of you by holding transfer reviews to discuss what needs to be written in the new plans. If your child did not have a transfer review this year, it will be carried out over the next two years. After the transfer review parents are sent a draft of the new Education Healthcare Plan. Parents can request to meet with the Local Authority if they are not happy with the Plan. Hounslow have a team of Independent Advisors available if you feel you need support. Their details are in this newsletter. It’s also been a busy year for some of our staff with five of our staff having babies this year. I’m sure you join me in congratulating them on their wonderful news. As we reach the end of term we will be saying Goodbye to the staff who have been covering maternity leave for us; Colin, Mayo and Evdoxia (Eri). We are also very sad to say Goodbye to Irina who has been working at Oaklands as a teacher for three and a half years and who is moving to a school closer to her home following the birth of her son. I hope that you and your families all have a very happy summer holiday. We look forward to working with you again on our return in September.

Anne Clinton Contents: Head Teacher’s News Autumn Dates 2015/2016 Pizza Making with A3 at Pizza Express C5 Visit to Kew Gardens Supported Work Placements We Will Rock You Tennis Tournament at Dukes Meadows Sixth Form Leavers

1 1 2 2 3 4 4 5 C5 Trips to Orleans & Redlees Art Galleries 5 How to get support with your Child’s Education Healthcare Plan 6 EHCP Workshop 6 C3 & C4’s Fun Afternoon at the Hilton Hotel 7 New School Business Manager 8 Family Support Service 8

AUTUMN TERM DATES 2015 – 2016 ACADEMIC YEAR Inset Day Tuesday 1st September 2015 – School Closed to Students Wednesday 2nd September 2015 to Friday 23rd October 2015 Half Term – Monday 26th October 2015 to Friday 30th October 2015 Monday 2nd November 2015 to Friday 18th December 2015 (Early closure on last day of term at 1.45pm) Inset Days Friday 20th November 2015 and Monday 23rd November 2015 – School Closed to Students Christmas Break – Monday 21st December 2015 to Friday 1st January 2016

PIZZA MAKING WITH A3 AT PIZZA EXPRESS Students in A3 visited Pizza Express at Kew. They pushed the Pizza dough into the edges of the circular baking trays. Spread fresh tomato paste onto the dough. Sprinkled cubes of mozzarella cheese on top. Smelt oregano and chose how much to shake onto their Pizzas. The Pizzas were baked in the oven for 5 minutes and cut into pieces. We carried our boxed pizzas to the bus and enjoyed our picnic in the park.

C5 VISIT TO KEW GARDENS

As part of their English module for the summer term, “Out and About” C5 went on a visit to Kew Gardens. Our students enjoyed a ride on the Kew Explorer and they had picnic.

SUPPORTED WORK PLACEMENTS This terms work placements have been a great success. All the students have gained great skills and enjoyed their working day. Simi has been at the 1O’clock Club in Isleworth, a Parent and Under 5’s play session. Kiran has been at the Cancer Research Charity Shop in Whitton.

Alicia has had an in school placement working in C2.

Charlie has been to St Pauls Open House Café in Brentford.

Ranveer has been at The Heathrow Special Needs Farm in Longford.

Looking forward to new work placements with students in September. Carissa Phipps (Work Placement Co-Ordinator)

WE WILL ROCK YOU On the 25th June the students of Oaklands School performed the show ‘We Will Rock You’. The students had worked very hard beforehand learning songs, dance routines and designing costumes and were excited to perform it on the school stage. We had fantastic performances in the lead roles from Alicia and Ryan, a mesmerising multisensory display from the PMLD team, a beautiful multimedia display from the ASD department and to surprise the students the staff had secretly learned the signs and performed ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ at the end of the show.

SIXTH FORM LEAVERS

It’s coming to the end of the school year and we have to say goodbye to another group of leavers, but this should not be a sad time. We have 10 leavers this year they are: Minal, Binisha, Chelsee, Libby, Perry, Steven, Thomas, Yash, Bilal and Yumnah. All the pupils will be transitioning to college to continue their education and to enjoy new experiences. We wish them all the best in the future and look forward to hearing about their achievements.

This term C5 have enjoyed trips out to local art galleries, ‘Orleans’ and ‘Redlees’. They especially enjoyed riding on the number 9 ‘Hammersmith’ bus, fishing and riding in a hot air balloon! Jo Noble 13/07/15

HOW TO GET SUPPORT WITH YOUR CHILD’S EDUCATION HEALTHCARE PLAN SEND IASS Independent Support - Independent Support is a programme to support young people and their parents during the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) reforms. Independent Support is limited to new statutory assessments and transfer of statements of SEN to an EHCP. Independent Support can be accessed by any parent or carer of a child with SEN or a disability, or by any young person aged 16 to 25, who are going through a new statutory assessment or transfer. Independent Supporters can help parents or young people to gather information for drafting their EHC plan. They can provide advice and support for parents and carers of children with SEN, and young people with SEN, through the statutory assessment and EHC plan processes. Independent Supporters can offer a range of time-limited support such as liaison across different agencies, help with submitting views and wishes or understanding draft EHC Plans. The level and nature of that support will be tailored to the particular needs of individual families. Independent Supporters accessed via the SEND IASS are coordinated and quality-assured by the SEND IASS, however they operate independently of the Local Authority. Who to contact Organisation/provider Telephone Email Registered status

The London Borough of Hounslow 020 8583 2607 [email protected] Local Authority

Want to know more about Education Healthcare Plans? We are running a workshop for families on Wednesday 9th September 2015 at 10.00 at Oaklands School. The workshop will be run by Steve Devlin (Parent Partnership Service Coordinator). Please come and join us.

C3 AND C4’S FUN AFTERNOON AT THE HILTON HOTEL

We were invited to a fun activity afternoon at the Hilton Hotel. When we arrived we played Twister, and had fun with space hoppers, balls and balloons. We also had a disco and played musical statues. We then went outside and took part in a range of group games and competitions. The weather was beautiful and we had a really fun afternoon!

NEW SCHOOL BUSINESS MANAGER I am pleased to introduce myself as the new School Business Manager and have now been part of Oaklands since June 2015. I chose to work at Oaklands because I think this school is a special place with special staff and special pupils. I have been made to feel very welcome by Governors, staff and all the pupils. I have been involved in establishing new schools since 2004 and wanted to make this role a final career choice. Previously I have been working in the NHS in senior management roles for over six years. I know at times some parents may need some additional support or help, so if there is anything I can do to make your life easier at the school, please do not hesitate to contact me on the school number. Best wishes. Nick Singh Kandola MA, MBA

FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICE Free School Meals It is that time of the year when many families are applying for free school meals. If you haven’t already applied, all you need to is fill in a simple application form. To compete your application go to Hounslow.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals or call 020 8583 2820 for information. Free school meal depends on parental or carer income therefore families have to re-apply every year. But your child might still get free school meals if you are receiving income support, incomebased jobseekers allowance, child Tax Credit, support from the National Asylum Support Service and income related employment.

School Travel Assistance This is to remind parents/carers who currently receive school transport to re-apply for transport every year so please make sure you do. If you would like discuss transport issues please contact [email protected] or call 020 8583 4177.

Upcoming Event Financial Capability workshop: Financial Capability workshop on Friday 9th October at 10:00. Representative from Hounslow Citizen Advice Bureau will be attending, to give parents professional advice and practical mini-training on benefits and budgeting skills. To help dealing with or to prevent getting into debt.