BENEFITS
OF RESIDENCE AND LENGTH OF STAY :
THE BRECKENBROUGH VIEW
by
Rob Knox
The
nature of the school
Breckenbrough
is a residential special school for boys aged 9-17 who have had
emotional and behavioural problems in mainstream education but have
got academic potential. Many have problems at home. The majority
of referrals are from Local Education Authorities; some are supported
by Social Services. Pupils board during term time only, the majority
are weekly boarders, and there are a few day boys.
The
majority are now diagnosed (rightly or wrongly) as either suffering
Asperger’s syndrome or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD). We also have pupils with dyspraxia and dyslexia. Irrespective
of the label all are seen as individuals and treated as individuals.
All have low self-esteem and confidence which is at the core of
their difficulties.
The
school has 40 pupils. Boarding is divided into three units on an
age basis with two care staff responsible for each unit. Teaching
groups have a maximum of seven pupils. All of our pupils are expected
to take a minimum of 5 GCSEs and aim for a Grade C. They are expected
to address their behavioural and emotional problems.
The
vast majority go onto Further Education and work.
The
ethos - the key
The
ethos is based on conflict resolution, resolving conflicts constructively
through honesty, openness and an expectation of progress and success.
The ethos is powerful and felt by most people as they enter the
building. They come into a relaxed but respectful atmosphere where
children are given the freedom to be themselves and for the most
part are caring and supportive of each other.
This
atmosphere is created by applying rules flexibly. Staff deal with
situations calmly and constructively. Requests are made, explanations
given, commands rarely issued. Sanctions are rarely applied and
if it is felt that they are needed the aim is to improve behaviour.
Pupils are encouraged to behave.
Pupils
are respected as individuals. Pupils are expected to take responsibility
for their own action. The school builds on the good and strengths
of the pupils and erodes the negatives. There is an expectation
of progress and change.
Staff
are expected to deal with situations with tolerance and forgiveness.
Conflicts and difficulties are handled with imagination, care and
as constructively as possible, hence the reluctance to use sanctions.
The
education we offer is far more than the delivery of the National
Curriculum and succeeding in national exams: it is based on the
individual taking responsibility for their progress, academically,
socially and emotionally. Outdoor education is an important part
of the curriculum, emphasising teamwork and increasing self-awareness.
There is an emphasis on art for its therapeutic qualities. The content
of many subject curricula for younger pupils is based on their interests.
The emphasis is on pupils engaging and therefore learning and not
on concrete outputs. Throughout, the education helps pupils to develop
their social skills.
Individuality
is encouraged, and non-conformity is made acceptable. Pupils develop
concepts such as putting others first, co-operation and taking responsibility
for their own actions.
We
do have target-setting, but this is mainly to satisfy statutory
requirements. We do monitor pupils’ behaviour, but the core
to the progress is the trusting, honest and constructive dialogue
between staff and pupils and to a lesser extent between the pupils
and with parents.
Inclusion
Although
all of our pupils have failed to be included into mainstream education,
we feel that our pupils have not been excluded from education. In
fact they have been very much included.
We
believe that many pupils who are kept in mainstream education are
not necessarily being included. We believe that in some ways they
are being excluded (especially socially), usually by the support
that they are provided with, which is normally in the form of a
non-teaching assistant. We have evidence that the support that they
are offered hinders their progress and does not address their social
or emotional problems.
The
majority of our pupils have been failed by the system, especially
with the National Curriculum’s emphasis of group process,
as opposed to individual
progress. In addition the majority of pupils have suffered at the
hands of groups of
other pupils during unstructured time in schools.
We
feel strongly that we are including our pupils into succeeding in
the education process. We are including pupils in socialising effectively
with their peers. We are including pupils to become successful members
of society.
The benefits of boarding
Pupils
are given a longer period of time immersed in the ethos, allowing
them more time to reflect on their own behaviour and for difficulties
to be resolved constructively. There is more opportunity to deal
with the pupil’s behaviour.
Boarding
allows for a broader concept of education. All staff, including
teachers, are known by their Christian names, thus breaking down
the barrier of the authoritarian figures and treating them as individuals
in their own right. Teachers work in the evenings and at weekends,
offering activities, sharing experiences, providing support and
friendship for pupils. Similarly, care staff support pupils in the
classroom.
At
home many of our pupils are socially isolated from their peers.
Many of our pupils do not go out through choice when they are at
home. Boarding therefore allows the pupils to have longer periods
in which to learn and develop social skills. They are better prepared
for integrating when they leave.
Many
of our pupils lack confidence and are reluctant to follow interests.
The school broadens the pupils’ experiences and encourages
them to develop interests that can lead them to enhance their social
skills.
Parents
and pupils are given respite. For the majority of our pupils this
break is crucial and beneficial. Often the first improvements in
behaviour are seen at home.
Regular
breaks – a changing pattern
Ten
years ago the vast majority of pupils were full-time boarders. They
had one weekend at home every half-term.
There
has been a big shift to weekly boarding, perhaps driven by cost.
Full boarders also tend to go home for weekends more often. We believe
that weekly boarding has a number of advantages. The pupils gain
the benefit of boarding, but do not become too institutionalised.
It allows for a natural and continuous contact with home. The school
can assist parents with issues at home.
We feel that day boys can miss out. To counteract this, they are
allowed to stay in the evenings so that they can benefit more from
the environment and feel more part of the community.
Typical
length of stay
Our
primary aim is not to return pupils to mainstream comprehensive
education and back to the cause of their problems. Our aim is to
give pupils the skills, especially the social skills and self discipline,
to succeed in post-16 education or in the world of work.
There
is no typical length of stay. Our pupils come to complete their
secondary education. The age and time when they start at the school
varies greatly although increasingly pupils are being referred towards
the end of Year 9 and throughout Year 10 and even in Year 11. We
tend not take pupils in Year 11 due to the fear of interrupting
the progress of the pupils already there. However, there is a large
deal of flexibility.
Long
term change
The
younger the pupils come to Breckenbrough, the better chance we have
of helping them make greater progress.
Educational
progress: Although identified as bright, the pupils’ pattern
of failure has undermined their confidence, self-belief and self-esteem.
These delicate emotions can only be rebuilt over time.
Changing
behaviour: Our pupils have deeply engrained their behaviour over
time, often from the age of two or three. It takes a long time for
that behaviour to be unlearnt.
Dealing
with emotions: This can only happen when trust has developed, and
will take time.
Typically, the behaviour of the pupils improves higher up the school
as the ethos has more time to impact. The older pupils tend to be
calmer, have better self-awareness and self-discipline.
Further,
we would argue that, by the time they leave, our pupils are better
prepared for the more unstructured college environment than their
peers from mainstream education because they have been given more
individual responsibility and are more natural and confident in
dealing with adults. Similarly, they are perhaps better prepared
for work.
Interestingly,
a number of our pupils have excelled in the armed forces, although
the ethos of the army and the school appear to be opposed. However,
it appears that the armed forces provide our pupils with a structure
and we have provided our pupils with the self-discipline to succeed.
Flexibility
of stay
Accelerated
learning: Some pupils who are impatient to leave (usually those
that are frustrated by the constraints of boarding) or who are particularly
bright can take their GCSEs early and move on to college.
Extended
learning: Conversely, some pupils have missed so much education
they need an additional year to compensate for the damage caused.
A
boy who was frustrated with boarding transferred to being a day
boy for his last two terms. Conversely, a boy who is struggling
at home might transfer to being a day boy.
Individual
pupil responsibility for length of stay (exclusion policy)
The
key criterion for coming to Breckenbrough is that pupils choose
to come to address their problems and progress educationally, behaviourally
and emotionally.
Unfortunately,
there have to be occasional temporary exclusions and even rarer
permanent exclusions either for a serious incident or for failing
to address their problem and moving forward. However, the emphasis
is that the pupil is excluding himself from the community. If a
temporary exclusion is applied, it is made as constructively as
possible, with regular contact being made during the exclusion.
Similarly, permanent exclusions are also made as constructive as
possible. Contact is continued through the After Care programme.
Many pupils who have been permanently excluded still feel that being
at Breckenbrough was a positive experience for them.
If
a pupil does not want to be at the school, arrangements will be
made to transfer the pupil.
After
Care
The
school has a separate charity that keeps in touch with pupils after
they leave. This can give a bit of financial support, though for
the most part it is for continuity and emotional support. The vast
majority, up to 95% of pupils, make a success of their lives. Many
go onto Further and Higher Education, find work, find partners and
have children.
