Mildenhall

Head Teacher

Mandy Taylor

82 E&F Fred Dannatt Rd, Mildenhall, Suffolk, IP28 7RD

Telephone: 01638 715555

A Section 41 Approved School

Our School

On Track Education in Mildenhall is an independent special school. It opened in April 2005 and has places for up to 32 pupils aged 11 to 18. The school welcomes pupils with ASD, ADHD, SEMH, Learning difficulties and other special educational needs.

On Track Education, Mildenhall, aims to develop positive attitudes to learning and to prepare students with the diverse skills and knowledge needed for a successful transition to further education, employment and beyond The school will provide all pupils with an opportunity to experience success.

We aim to make a positive difference to every pupil. We help them to understand the world around them and give each pupil the opportunities to develop the skills they need to fulfil their potential and live as confident, successful and caring individuals.

The school currently runs five nurture group. Each group contains between 2 and 9 pupils and is led by a trained Nurture Group Lead. Students are all supported through Thrive assessments which promote optimal social and emotional development. In particular, this approach equips staff to work in a targeted way with children and young people who have struggled with aspects of their developmental needs. The approach helps our students to re-engage with life and learning

The aim of the Nurture Group is to provide a flexible, preventative resource, which is responsive to the particular needs of the pupils attending the school and links into the school's Special Educational Needs (SEN) and Behaviour and Inclusion Policies. It provides on-going assessment and support for pupils showing signs of severe emotional stress and social and behavioural difficulties. The Nurture Group’s aim is to provide a secure and reliable small class setting where pupils can learn by re-experiencing primary model nurture from three adults who actively work towards helping the students learn to behave appropriately, develop their social skills, improve their self-esteem and develop confidence in themselves as learners, through a close and trusting relationship.

Our Staff Team

On Track staff are all trained and experienced in the delivery of personalised education programmes, appropriate to each student’s individual needs, learning styles and interests. Our staff specialise in working with young people with barriers to learning, including Dyslexia, Aspergers, Autism and ADHD.

The curriculum is the substance of what is taught. It is the specific plan of what learners need to know and should be able to do in total and in each subject. The curriculum shapes and determines what learners of all ages will get out of their educational experience. For this reason, the curriculum is at the heart of this school’s work.

‘It is essential knowledge that pupils need to be educated citizens, introducing them to the best that has been thought and said and helping to engender an appreciation of human creativity and achievement.’

When implementing the curriculum, our school will have regard to the research and inspection evidence suggesting that the most important factors in how, and how effectively, the curriculum is taught and assessed

Teachers have expert knowledge of the subjects that they teach. If they do not, they are supported to address these gaps so that pupils are not disadvantaged by ineffective teaching; CPD is aligned to the curriculum.
Teachers check pupils’ understanding effectively, and identify and correct misunderstandings.
Teachers ensure that pupils embed key concepts in their long-term memory and apply them fluently.
Teachers use assessment to help pupils embed and use knowledge fluently, and develop their understanding, and not simply memorize disconnected facts.
Learning is through thinking, with metacognition forming a key element to this. Metacognition will be taught and modelled within tasks

All pupils will have an individual long term plan in all subject areas. For each pupil, the delivery of the curriculum will be adapted in order to support progress at all starting points and diverse learning needs, whilst ensuring the curriculum is accessible, challenging and aspirational for all pupils

The Curriculum

The On Track Curriculum provides a diverse, broad and balanced alternative curriculum which places value on the development of a wide range of student skills and abilities including physical, written, oral, academic, artistic, creative, social and personal.

The curriculum provides flexible accreditation pathways across all subjects and levels to meet the needs of each individual student and maximise their potential. The current accreditation offer at the On Track Education Centre in Mildenhall includes the following

English – AQA Unit Award Scheme, Step up to English, Functional Skills L1&2, GCSE
Maths - AQA Unit Award Scheme, Entry Level, Functional Skills L1&2, GCSE
Science - AQA Unit Award Scheme, Entry Level, GCSE
Art - AQA Unit Award Scheme, GCSE, BTEC Level 1 Award/Certificate/Diploma
ICT - AQA Unit Award Scheme, IGCSE, Functional Skills
PHSE - AQA Unit Award Scheme, Level 1 and Level 2 Certificates
Humanities - AQA Unit Award Scheme, IGCSE
PE/Fitness - AQA Unit Award Scheme, BTEC Level 1 Award/Certificate/Diploma
Cookery - AQA Unit Award Scheme, BTEC
Vocational (Mechanics, Woodwork, Plumbing, Welding, Construction) - AQA Unit Award Scheme, BTEC Level Award/Certificate/Diploma
Business/Enterprise - AQA Unit Award Scheme, BTEC Level 1 Award/Certificate/Diploma
British Values Level 1 Award
Wellbeing, Independent Living Skills and ASDAN programmes

The School Site

The school is located on a light industrial estate in Mildenhall and is spread over four units. There are five self contained Nurture rooms, a dedicated ICT room, a Humanities room, an English room, an Art room and two workshops

On the ground floor there is a kitchen, a dining room, a medical room, a meeting roome and an admin area.

Outside, we have an artificial turf area which is marked out for basketball and five a side football.

On Track Policies

School Information

Copies of all On Track policies, including the Complaints Procedure, can be obtained on request from Head Office or the School.

For guidance on careers contact Juliette Treece, Careers Lead Tel: 07787 098675

Keeping your child safe online - https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/