Within the walls of Lancashire's quiet SEND transformation

Within the unassuming grounds of Thornton Primary School, a handful of children are already eagerly gathering around a desk in the Orchard, a new special educational needs (SEN) unit that's just opened.

Opening last September in a converted Sure Start centre, the Orchard caters for up to eight children with social, emotional and mental health needs, and is just one of the county council's new SEND units.

In practice, this sees the children being nurtured and engaged by specialist staff in a variety of environments and activities,  ranging from regular crunchy snack time, to a sensory room to interactive science, Maths and English lessons, along with breathing, creative activities and an outdoor play area. It also means they can switch between lessons in the main school to the Orchard, according to their varying needs.

Thornton Primary School

Mum Kirsty McGlynn, 31, of Thornton, says the Orchard has been a lifeline for her seven-year-old son, Thomas.

She said:

"Thomas is loving it – it's been nice seeing him having the correct support in place. I'm really happy and feel it's a golden opportunity that we have been given.

"Thomas was at a mainstream school before this and would often struggle. I would get phone calls weekly saying he was unregulated. As a parent, I felt under pressure – you just want your child to be able to thrive and grow. Knowing that he's here with the correct support in place, we feel it's a golden opportunity.

"He's come on in leaps and bounds. Now he's here, he's fallen in love with learning and with school again, and has made friends, so I'm really proud of him.

"He loves playing with his friends, he loves Maths and singing, and he's a really happy child.

"I know it's hard and it can be a worry, but keep doing what you need to do, and things will fall into place and work out.

"There's been a lot of times when I've been worried and stressed about his future but now that he's settled here, that's put a lot of that to rest.

"I'm looking forward to seeing Thomas thrive and to seeing him grow into a young man."

 

Pupil Thomas enjoys painting at the Orchard

Thomas says:

"I sing, I dance - I've made lots of friends here. We went bowling last week and I came second, with a silver medal."

Meanwhile, another pupil, Elsie-May,9, said:

"I think this school is the best. It's amazing – I love the teachers.

"I love that it's very educational and fun. In science, we're doing about the body, and how the digestive system works through the intestines. Miss Gardner has bought a big mannequin, and we're going to put the parts in the right place.

"My favourite lesson is science, and we have two regulation rooms which I like, because you can read a book."

Pupils Scarlett and Thomas enjoy an activity at the Orchard, a new SEND unit at Thornton Primary School

Scarlett, 9, said:

"We have kind friends here, and I like learning things in a fun way.

"Science is one of my favourite subjects. I like doing experiments and doing things with my hands. Sometimes, we can go into the outdoor area too which has lots of fun things to do, like doing obstacle courses."

For teacher Sam Gardner, the benefits to the children's social, emotional and mental health skills are plain to see. She said:

"We work alongside the children to look at how we can re-regulate ourselves in the classroom and use that later on in life outside the classroom on a day-to-day basis.

"We still deliver a structured timetable, through Maths, English, phonics and reading, for example. But as the children arrive in the morning it's a staggered start, and on arrival, we have an activity at the table, and offer them snacks to make sure they're feeling calm, particularly those children that travel in a taxi.

"They have the opportunity to discuss their feelings and tell us how they feel on arrival, which gives us an idea of whether we need to do something different, and we then use a breathing technique for a few minutes, which teaches the children to use that later on in the day. That has been really beneficial.

Teacher Sam Gardner reads a story to pupil Thomas

"It means that they've been equipped with the skills to re-regulate themselves. They might ask for an adult to support, but we're teaching them to be able to do that independently.

"Once we've done all that and we've made sure they're calm and ready to learn, and we move into the daily timetable, once it's been discussed.

"Those skills that we teach in the morning - breathing, ability to regulate, communicating how they feel on arrival, are very beneficial. We play lots of games with turn taking, where they learn to win and learn to lose, and also to look at each other when they're talking and listening to each other.

"We've seen a huge difference in the way they move around the school and the way they interact with other children, in a very short space of time."

Painting at the Orchard

Bobby, 10, who is in Year 6, agrees, saying:

"It's helped with my overall learning, and helping me to deal with things.

"I normally come in in the afternoon, from the main school. We go in the sensory room, have ten minutes of calming time, and do group work.

"My favourite thing is the sensory room which has lots of beanbags. You usually sit down, and the teacher reads something. I also like making things outside – I have made obstacle courses."

Year 6 pupil Brody, 11, says:

"I like the fact that it's peaceful, and there's not as many children as in the other classes. I like choosing time, when we get to role play, and football. I've made lots of friends here."

Yet this is one small part of a major transformation of SEND provision in Lancashire which includes expanding existing special schools, new standalone SEND schools, and increasing the number of SEND units attached to schools like the one in Thornton.

And with the county council providing 168 places so far this year at an approximate cost of £3m, there are plans to roll out even more SEND provision next year. 

For headteacher David Ashcroft, the winds of change couldn't have come soon enough.

He says:

"This has been massively beneficial – they get the best of both worlds, as they have access to working in a  smaller setting where there are just eight children, and a really good ratio of staff to children, and they can go into the mainstream classes as well  for subjects like Maths, English and Forest school PE – so it's a really fluid and hybrid education that they get.

"When they arrive, they will have a 'soft landing,' with some time to chat and have a little bit of breakfast, before they then work together at a table, on a variety of activities, all linked to the National Curriculum. They then spend their breaks and lunch with children in the main school, and if they can, do their lessons in the mainstream classes, particularly if it's things like PE or forest school, but if can't, they will come back into the Orchard and do the afternoon lessons here that also follow the National Curriculum.

"The support that we’ve received has been magnificent. It's been a collaborative approach to make sure we're supporting the children in the best way that we can."

Thomas's story at the Orchard, a SEND unit based at Thornton Primary School