The school works closely with Hammersmith & Fulham SEN department to ensure that children and young people admitted to the school are within the school’s criteria. These are:
- An education, health and care plan (EHC)
- Working at academic levels well below age-related expectations
- An autism diagnosis
Admission Process
The process of admission is the following:
- The Local Authority (LA) sends a child’s papers (e.g. EHC plan and other relevant reports) to the school.
- The Head of School replies whether or not the school can meet needs as judged from papers alone. If the Head of School reports to the LA that the school cannot meet the particular needs of the child in question, then the LA will not take that consultation further.
- If the Head of School says the school can meet needs from papers alone, this is reported to the LA’s SEN Panel, who, if they wish then to pursue the place for this child will ask Queensmill School to visit and observe the child to verify whether they can meet needs. The school (either Head of School or another senior leader) arranges to visit the present setting, observe the child and talk to any relevant professionals.
- If then the school feels they can meet needs, they let the LA know and admission is arranged.
- If the school is full it cannot offer a place as this would compromise the safe and effective education of the children already on roll.
Final decisions as to the most suitable placement are made by the school and communicated to the local authority for parents/carers to agree/disagree the offer.
Transitions to Queensmill: In order to help the child in their move to Queensmill, we put a transition plan in place, working with the child’s parents and with their present school if they are coming to us from another school. This would involve visits, social stories, photos books, etc; we would be led by the child in this, but would put in place everything possible to help them move easily into their new school.