9th June 2023 Dear Parent Carers, Weekly Update – 09/06/23 I hope this update finds you well. We have had a great first week back – it is finally starting to feel like summer, and the next 6 weeks are going to fly by. Earlier in the week, I attended an emotional celebration event for the Project SEARCH interns at the Royal Derby Hospital. The Project SEARCH supported internship programme is providing incredible opportunities for our students, with those on the programme obtaining paid employment as a result of their development. Next week’s update will feature more about this event, as I want you all to know just how powerful and life changing supported internships can be. Hub and Spoke As you may be aware, the situation in the Special Needs sector is highly pressurised with the system struggling to meet the needs of all students with additional needs across the country. This has been caused by a culmination of different factors, and with the problem now widespread, the system needs a different strategy. The leadership team at St Martins have been working with leaders from other schools and the Local Authority to find a local solution for children and young people in Derby City. We are in the early stages of creating an additional type of specialist provision that brings together the social environment and facilities of mainstream schools, and the expertise and focus of our special schools, into a brand-new merged provision, termed ‘Hub and Spoke’. This means we plan to work in partnership with selected mainstream secondary schools to open new St Martins (Hub) provisions in their environment (Spoke). This will create a new type of special school offer that will release more special school placements in the city. There are no firm plans in place at the moment, but I will keep you updated as we learn more over the coming weeks and months. Local SEND Updates St Martins have been working with SENCOs from mainstream primary and secondary schools, as well as SEND Officers from the Local Authority, to showcase the provision and support at St Martins. This helps to improve understanding of our provision, and ensure that we are working collaboratively to meet the needs of all current and prospective students. Within these links, we have been hosting tours and coffee mornings to share ideas and best practice. We have also been working with the Local Authority to identify students at St Martins who could successfully transition into Sabrina Hobbs Principal St Martins School, The Derwent Campus, Bracknell Drive, Alvaston, Derby, DE24 0BT Tel: 01332 571151 Email: admin@stmartins.derby.sch.uk Online: www.stmartinsschoolderby.co.uk The Shaw Education Trust Limited is a company limited by guarantee, registered in England (no 09067175) Registered address: Shaw Education Trust, Kidsgrove Secondary School, Gloucester Road, Kidsgrove, ST7 4DL. The details of our academies registered as business names can be found at www.shaweducation.org.uk.
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