Welcome
Head Teacher’s Welcome
Welcome to Woodfield School where we are dedicated to supporting our young people to be happy, successful and growing in independence.
At Woodfield School we provide education for young people with Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD) and some associated needs. We are described by Surrey County Council as a Learning and Additional Needs (LAN) setting.
We offer a rich and diverse curriculum which is guided by the National Curriculum and differentiated to provide a learning journey which is broad, balanced and relevant to the individual needs of our pupils. Functional literacy, numeracy and life skills are themes that run throughout the entire curriculum. We celebrate difference and diversity and our school values underpin all aspects of life and learning at Woodfield.
Our Woodfield values are:
Supporting and caring
Belonging and worth
Fairness
Respect
Fulfilling potential
Developing independence and a ‘can try’ attitude
We know that pupils learn best when they feel safe, valued and can adopt a ‘can do’ attitude. To this end a highly dedicated staff team work tirelessly to make learning motivating, engaging and relevant, in a safe and supportive environment in order to equip the pupils with the skills they will need both socially and academically for their life beyond school. We are a trauma informed school and we are experienced in helping pupils to develop employability skills in preparation for the world of work - having received awards for both! We pride ourselves in providing our young people with a wide range of interventions and learning opportunities and we have a large, skilled pastoral team which helps us to source, organise and deliver these valuable experiences.
For our most complex learners we have the first of our unique provisions named Flexi-teach. Here, with high pupil-adult ratios, we provide students with a bespoke educational offer enabling them to benefit from working in a small vertically streamed class for some of their learning, whilst accessing the main school as much as possible. Our Flexi-teach approach has been particularly beneficial for some of our learners that have experienced emotionally based school non-attendance (EBSNA) in other settings.
In addition to our secondary school provision at the main site, we are also very proud to run a unique satellite provision at Carrington Mainstream Secondary School. This is known as Woodfield Education Centre (WEC@C). It allows our pupils with MLD and associated needs to benefit from the challenge and stretch of accessing a mainstream secondary school whilst also benefiting from the high levels of expertise of our Woodfield Staff in relation to their special educational needs.
At the main school we also have a new purpose-built 16-19 provision on site and further details are to be found under the 16-19 section of the website.
Whichever part of Woodfield School a young person attends, they will experience a learning environment that is pupil centred and aspirational. All that we do is aimed at improving the long term outcomes for our young people and the families who support them. We strive to create an educational experience which values each and every individual and recognises the need to support emotional wellbeing whilst ensuring that they develop the skills needed for life.
We recognise the challenges that families face in choosing the right school, I hope the website offers you the information you need. We do, however, welcome visits to the school to help you with your selection process and have planned tours for prospective families. If you are interested please contact the school to book a visit.
If you have questions you may find our FAQs page useful. Our office staff are also happy to help answer any questions you may have. However, should you wish to ask myself a specific question then please feel free to email me at twyse@woodfield.surrey.sch.uk.
We look forward to supporting your child on their journey towards adulthood!
Mrs Terri Wyse
Head Teacher
Preparing pupils for adulthood: Developing learners that are happy, successful and increasing in independence
The Nature and Needs of the Pupils Attending Woodfield School
Woodfield Schools is a special school for pupils with learning and additional needs (LAN).
The curriculum and the strategies with which we support pupils are designed to meet the needs of pupils working significantly below peers of a similar age.
In addition to learning difficulties, our pupils will have additional barriers to learning, such as Autism, ADHD, Social Emotional and Mental Health needs (SEMH), medical issues or speech, language and communication needs. Many of the pupils that attend may also have a combination of needs and diagnosis, comorbidity and/or complex needs. The strategies we use to teach and support our pupils are underpinned and informed through evidence based research.
We have developed our practice to enable pupils, who are not always able or ready to access learning, to progress to a point where they are able to engage. This too is informed by evidence based research and theories such as Bruce Perry’s 3Rs, Zones of Regulation and a Trauma Informed Approach.
Current Breakdown of Primary Need
The percentage of pupils with the following Primary Special Educational Needs and Difficulties are as follows:
31% Moderate Learning Difficulty
26% Speech Language and Communication Need
14% Autistic Spectrum Disorder
9% Downs Syndrome or a Severe Learning Difficulty
8% Social Emotional Mental Health Needs
6% Specific Learning Difficulties
4% Physical Difficulties
2% Other (such as Hearing Impairment, Vision Impairment or Multi-sensory Impairment)
A significant number of pupils attending Woodfield School have a secondary need of SEMH.
Pupils at Woodfield therefore have a broad spectrum of need and as a result present with a range of learning and social behaviours.
Some examples include:
Short attentions spans
Poor working memory
Poor social skills
Underdeveloped coordination skills
Passive or withdrawn behaviours i.e. avoiding eye contact, not talking
Very upset or dysregulated often as a result of sensory triggers
Repetitive movements
Hyperactivity
Disruptive and destructive behavious such as banging and shouting
Defiance
Depression and anxiety