Key Stage 3 Aims - To assess students and allow us to support their varied needs in a way that will help them break down their barriers to learning and grow confident in taking their next steps on their educational journey, whether that be reintegration into a mainstream school or moving into a long term special provision where their needs can be an appropriately met.

KS3 has two main pathways; Permanently excluded Sutton students in Years 7, 8 and 9 and a dual registration programme to help re-engage students that are at risk of permanent exclusion and who are likely to need an EHCP and  have suffered significant loss and trauma and had adverse childhood experiences. They often have several agencies already working with them and through the VPP (Sutton’s FAP) they are referred for a place in our trauma informed group whilst assessments are undertaken. Their mainstream schools work with us under a partnership plan to support application for an EHCPNA.

All of our pupils are assessed for base line data when they come on roll, allowing us to identify any needs, areas of strengths or areas where they may need further support. This is then reviewed twice a year to monitor and track progress, tailor intervention and work to support adaptation in the classroom.

Our aim is to assess and monitor all of our students to try to identify the factors creating barriers to learning and preventing them being able to access mainstream education. Some students will be identified as having significant needs, which may be best served in a specialist setting.  Other students may need intensive pastoral and academic support for a period of time but then are ready to return to a mainstream environment. We provide careful transition back into a mainstream setting to provide them with the set possible chance of success.

Regardless of what has brought a student to The Limes College, staff will review effort in class, attitude, attendance and behaviour, to assess whether a student is ready to return to mainstream school on a continual basis. The tutor will discuss this with both students and parents/carers through weekly target-setting and weekly phone calls home.  Our reintegration worker will support these conversations and build a relationship with student who are preparing to move on and then support the student on their journey back into mainstream education.

KS3 pupils follow a wide and balanced curriculum. Four days a week they are classroom based incorporating English, Maths and Science, alongside PSHE, Cooking, Hair and Beauty Therapy, Humanities, Photography and Art. Outdoor Education is the focus for Fridays and students are offered the opportunity to try a wide variety of outdoor adventurous activities, ensuring they are developing social emotional, communications and team building skills whilst learning outside the classroom. We believe this curriculum helps build resilience and ambition helping them to feel more confident and secure about taking their next steps in their educational journey.