| About Us
Highfield School is an area
community special school taking children from a wide area around
Ely. Places are offered to both girls and boys within a 2-19 year
age range. All of our pupils have a statement of special educational
needs, which refers to a significant and complex learning
difficulty. Highfield is therefore a school for pupils with
moderate, severe or profound learning difficulties and for children
with autism. Some may have associated behavioural problems, physical
disabilities, sensory, communication or medical problems. Highfield
is a very popular school which enjoys a very good reputation in the
county and places are in high demand.
The school is situated
on the edge of the City of Ely in Cambridgeshire. It occupies large
and attractively landscaped grounds and is in very close proximity
to City of Ely College and The Lantern Primary School. These two
schools, Highfield and six other local schools form ‘The Ely Schools
Partnership’. We enjoy very good relationships with our partnership
schools. We all benefit from each others expertise, experiences,
facilities and resources, working together to support inclusive
practices across the partnership. OFSTED wrote of Highfield ‘Students
leave the school well prepared for the next steps in their education
because of the good curriculum’. December 2008.
The school was built in
the 1950s for primary education and was refurbished and extended for
our purposes in 1999. We moved from our old and inadequate building
in September 1999 and consider ourselves to be very fortunate to
have such a beautiful and well maintained school. The school is in
spacious well-planned accommodation that includes specialist
teaching rooms: hall/gymnasium, food technology, science/technology,
art, music, ICT, library, soft play and sound/light room. Visiting
therapists have their own suite including offices and therapy rooms. We have two
Variety Club Sunshine minibuses, which enable pupils to go out on
educational trips to the swimming pool, leisure centre, riding
stables and visits further a field.
The school is organised
into three main departments, Primary (nursery, KS1/2), Key Stage 3
and Leavers (KS4/Post16). Classes are small, staffed by a teacher
and sufficient teaching assistants to ensure good staff to pupil
ratio. OFSTED said that ‘Parents are overwhelmingly positive
about the school and the way it cares for their children and helps
them to make progress.’ December 2008.
Our aim is to help
children to achieve the highest standards of performance in all
areas of their development so that they become as independent as
possible. The school follows the National Curriculum, which is
modified to meet the individual needs of each pupil. The youngest
pupils have a nursery, pre-school curriculum based on the Foundation
Curriculum and National Curriculum P Scales.
Students in Key Stage 4 and
Post 16 follow nationally accredited courses, which continue to
develop basic skills but also prepare them for life after school.
We aim to help children
to be aware of good behaviour and self-control. We provide a
positive ethos throughout the school giving praise, encouragement
and rewards when appropriate. OFSTED recognised that ‘Across
the school, through excellent relationships with staff and the
effective support they receive in their lessons, students work
exceptionally hard and concentrate remarkably well.’
December 2008.
We are committed to
improve the work of the school and welcome the support provided by
parents, staff, governors and partners across a range of services.
OFSTED reported that ‘A clear vision by the Headteacher and
determination for improvement, together with strong teamwork, are at
the heart of the good leadership and management of the school. All
staff know the part they should play and work hard to achieve the
goals set out in their particular action plans and the strong
improvement plan ’ December 2009.
Highfield School aims to: -
ü
Develop the full potential of each pupil, equipping them to
contribute positively to the society in which they live.
ü
Cater
for each pupil’s education and personal needs by creating individual
learning programmes.
ü
Create
a happy, safe, supportive and appropriate environment in which
pupils can learn and develop.
ü
Value
its staff and encourage them to contribute positively to the
school’s development and pursue personal career and professional
development opportunities.
ü
Work
in partnership with parents, governors and other professionals for
the benefit of the pupils
ü
Promote, maintain and extend links with the local community,
schools, businesses and social groups, making full use of the
available, local amenities.
ü
Work
in partnership with the City of Ely College the primary schools in
the Ely School’s Partnership and other local schools and colleges.
ü
Develop a full and varied range of activities to embrace the
extended schools, outreach services and inclusion agendas |