Welcome to the Pupil Referral Service and College Hall
The PRS provides high quality education for young people who are unable to attend mainstream schools because of their complex behaviour, anxiety or medical needs. It also provides outreach support for young people who are being supported in their school placement.
The PRS is led by the Head and Deputy Head of Service and consists of a core team of teachers, home tutors, behaviour support assistants, outreach workers and administrative staff.
Our Mission
To work with children and young people, their families and colleagues in schools and associated agencies to promote the educational and social inclusion of young people.
To work in partnership with schools, parents, carers, agencies and the wider community to encourage all individuals to reach their full potential as learners.
About College Hall
College Hall is the Seconday Short Stay School maintained by Bracknell Forest Council Children, Young People and Learning Department. It is situated in the west of the borough in a quiet and attractive location. The unit offers 30 full time places for young people in Key Stage 3 and 4 who have not responded to a wide range of support and intervention in their mainstream schools. They have a history of displaying challenging and disaffected behaviour and many have large gaps in their education.
Relationships between staff, pupils and students are friendly and mutually respectful; a broad and balanced curriculum offers opportunities for pupils of all abilities; and success and achievement in any area is recognised and valued.
We aim to make young people feel safe and happy at College Hall so they can build on their successes and feel confident as they face new challenges. Students are actively supervised at all times. Breaks and lunchtimes are used to run planned activity sessions by our team of staff. Individual students also receive additional support from Connexions Intensive and individual tuition as appropriate.
By working with parents and carers, we can encourage and support the young person’s future development. Regular communication between us and parents/carers will ensure that they are kept up to date with their child’s progress, and if difficulties arise, they can be quickly addressed.
We offer:
- a friendly welcoming approach
- strong commitment to pupils with special educational needs
- a structured approach to behaviour management
- empowerment for young people to take responsibility for behaviour and make more positive choices
- young people taught in small groups of up to 8 pupils
- high ratio of staff to pupils
About PRS Outreach
Outreach support is offered to pupils with challenging behaviour and those at risk of permanent exclusion from their mainstream school. A referral is made to the Integrated Care Pathway (ICP) by the school, parent or doctor if they feel that the young person would benefit from support from PRS Outreach, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) or any other agency which supports young people with challenging behaviour.
The intervention is designed to support students who are struggling to manage themselves appropriately in a range of settings including home and at school. Support offered raises self awareness, examines what is going wrong, and focuses on new skill development and practices putting new skills into action to help students maintain their placement in school. There is a strong multi-agency approach and reintegration support is vital.
Referred pupils will have an identified Lead Professional from the Outreach Team. The role of Lead Professional is to support the pupil by completing a detailed assessment of needs and by offering a tailored support programme which could include sessions such as Anger Management and Self-Esteem Building.
About the PRS Home Teaching Service
The Home Teaching Service caters for pupils in Key Stage 1 to 4 who are temporarily out of school for medical reasons and offers interim provision to pupils in Key Stage 3 and 4 whilst they are waiting for a transfer or a place to become available in another mainstream school. The staff teach on a one to one or very small group basis in order to ensure that a pupil stays up to speed and is ready for their return to school or their new placement.
Sessions will take place either in the pupils’ home, where an appropriate adult is present, or at College Hall or in a local Youth & Community Centre.
About Virtual Online Learning
Online Teaching is provided to pupils requiring interim provision or to pupils who have a previous history of extremely low attendance in their mainstream schools and have significant gaps in their learning. The provision aims to re-engage students who lack confidence and get them back on track in terms of attendance and personal confidence. The online teaching is provided by Accipio Learning. Accipio’s virtual school delivers its services through live, interactive lessons allowing pupils to communicate with teachers and peers in a safe and secure virtual learning environment. Lessons can be accessed from any location with broadband. Accipio teachers provide daily assessment. The curriculum focuses on ensuring that students are able to at least achieve a GCSE or equivalent qualification in English, Maths and Science. Other short courses are on offer depending on student interests.
Other Agencies
As a member of the staff team at you will have occasion to work with many partner agencies including Behaviour Support Team (Family Worker/parenting groups), Education Welfare Service, Education Psychology Service, Special Educational Needs Team, Children’s Social care Team, Family and Adolescent Support Team, Looked After Children Team, Youth Offending Service, Youth Service (NRG), Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services, School Nursing Service, and Connexions.
Find out more about College Hall yourself by visiting the unit where I can assure you of a very warm welcome.
Marion Bent
Head of Pupil Referral Service