School on Buxton Ward

Working closely with Norfolk County Council’s Children’s Services department, we aim to:

• Provide education for school age children who are undergoing hospital treatment
• Minimise disruption to learning by continuing education as normally as possible
• Provide a range of educational opportunities

Admissions policy

Teaching staff will make contact with pupils and families from the second day of first admission to Buxton Ward.

Educational activities will start from day three of the admission to Buxton and teaching will start from day four. On subsequent admissions pupils will be taught from day one, where possible.

Timetable

Teachers are available on Buxton Ward for four afternoons and one morning each week during term time. In exceptional circumstances we aim to provide extra tuition for individual pupils where needed.

There is also an e-learning programme which gives access to a comprehensive range of online lessons via laptops. The Buxton Ward play specialists liaise with teaching staff daily regarding the children who are well enough to have lessons.

Teaching will either take place at the bedside or in the adolescent room on the ward. In order to support the teaching staff it is helpful to ensure children are ready to start lessons, as their medical needs allow.

Curriculum

National curriculum schemes of work are followed as far as possible. Arts and crafts activities are available on Mondays. Core subject (English and Maths) are prioritised on the other days. The e-learning programme covers a broad range of subjects at all levels.

If a child is in hospital for more than a week, contact will be made with the child’s school to ensure that work is appropriate and prioritised. Individual education plans are drawn up for long-term patients and this may be done by the home school and/or hospital teaching staff, in consultation with the pupil and their parents/carers.

Exams

If a child is due to sit exams and is likely to be in hospital, please speak with teaching staff so that appropriate arrangements can be discussed.

Leaving hospital

Most pupils will return to their home school and carry on with normal school life. Records of work completed at our hospital are kept by the teaching staff and can be made available to pupils, parents/carers and schools.

If a child cannot return to school and needs home tuition during recovery, a referral will be made to the appropriate pupil referral unit. The home school will be advised of this. If the child lives outside Norfolk, the appropriate local authority and school will be contacted.