ADMISSIONS

Placements at The Becklands School are made by local authorities through the Education, Health and Care Plan consultation process. We welcome enquiries from placing authorities, from parents and carers, and from professionals supporting a young person.

To discuss a placement, contact the school office on 01430 338569 or email [email protected].

Who we can admit

We are registered with the Department for Education to admit:

  • Pupils aged 11 to 18
  • Up to 30 pupils
  • Boys and girls
  • On a day basis — we do not provide boarding
  • Dual site registered – we have two sites one in Market Weighton and an outdoor learning provision in Market Weighton

We are a specialist provision for children and young people with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs, including pupils with a diagnosis of autism spectrum condition. All our pupils hold an Education, Health and Care Plan naming SEMH as a primary or significant area of need.

The Becklands School is currently seeking Department for Education approval to extend our registered age range to include pupils in Years 5 and 6, and to increase our registered capacity to 50 pupils. These proposed changes are subject to approval by the Secretary of State for Education. Until approval is received, we can only admit pupils within our existing registered age range and capacity.

Needs we can meet

We are able to meet the needs of young people who:

  • have social, emotional and mental health needs that a mainstream setting has not been able to meet
  • have experienced placement breakdown, exclusion or extended absence from education
  • experience anxiety-based school avoidance
  • need a small, predictable, relationally-led environment in order to learn
  • have gaps in learning that need to be identified and closed rather than worked around
  • are able to be supported safely within a day placement of our size and staffing model

Needs we are not able to meet

We would rather be honest at the point of consultation than accept a placement we cannot sustain. We are not currently able to meet the needs of young people who:

  • require a residential or 52-week placement
  • require nursing care or invasive clinical intervention on site
  • g. profound and multiple learning difficulties, needs requiring full physical accessibility beyond our premises, levels of risk requiring a secure setting
  • it is unlikely we would place a child who’s primary need is not SEMH needs per their EHCP

Where we do not believe we can meet a young person’s needs, we will say so clearly and promptly, and explain why.

Fees

Fees are agreed with the placing local authority and are available on request. Please contact the school office.

Fees can vary depending if a student requires additional 1:1 support.

Admissions policy

Our full admissions policy sets out our criteria, the consultation process and how decisions are made.

Click Here to read our policy

    How a placement is made

    1. A local authority, parent, carer or professional contacts the school office or attends an open day.
    2. The local authority consults us formally, sending the Education, Health and Care Plan and supporting information. We ask for the current EHC plan, recent annual review paperwork, educational psychology and other professional reports, attendance and placement history, and any risk assessments or behaviour plans.
    3. Assessment of need. Our team reviews the paperwork against what we are able to provide, and against the needs and safety of the pupils already on roll. We may request additional information if necessary.
    4. Visit and meeting. Where the placement looks viable, we invite the young person and their family to visit, meet staff and see both sites. We understand that for some local authorities this forms part of the admission process once a place has been offered and we therefore work collaboratively within their procedures to ensure placements are expedited. We also welcome any visits from the placing authority.
    5. Response to consultation. We respond formally to the local authority, setting out whether we can meet need, any conditions, and the provision we would put in place.
    6. Offer and transition. If a place is offered and accepted, we agree a transition plan with the family and the placing authority. Transition is planned around the individual and is rarely a single start date.
    7. Baseline and review. Every pupil is baseline assessed on entry alongside an SEMH profile, so that teaching starts from where they actually are.

    Parents and carers

    If you are a parent or carer and you think The Becklands School may be right for your child, you are welcome to contact us directly and to visit before any formal process begins. Placements are arranged through your local authority as part of the EHC plan process, and we are happy to talk you through how that works.

    In-year admissions

    We admit pupils throughout the school year. Many of our referrals come mid-year, often at a point of urgency, and we are used to working at pace when a placement has broken down.

    Equality

    We welcome applications for all children and young people whose needs we are able to meet, regardless of background. We do not select on academic ability. Reasonable adjustments are made in line with our duties under the Equality Act 2010, and our accessibility plan is available from the school office.