HEADTEACHER'S WELCOME

 Hello and a very warm welcome to Millwood School.  I am delighted to introduce myself as the Headteacher

Millwood is place where everybody matters. We pride our self by going the extra mile and making a difference to the pupils and families in our school community and beyond. We are a school where entitlement, opportunity and challenge are championed.

We believe in making your children world class learners’ developing in them a confidence and thirst for knowledge enabling them to realise their talents and create their own future.

 We do this by:

• Providing a broad, balanced, enriched and creative curriculum that is ambitious and designed to give learners’, the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life.
• Providing a curriculum that will continue to evolve and be responsive to 21st century learning needs including sustainability and global awareness as well as ensuring it equips each learner with the essential skills for future success in their next steps.
• Providing a myriad of memorable learning experiences and opportunities that thrill, inspire and promote a lifelong love of learning for learners’ thus ensuring that they fulfil their unique potential.
• Preparing learners’ for life in modern Britain by: equipping them to be responsible, respectful, active citizens who contribute positively to society; developing their understanding of fundamental British values; developing their understanding and appreciation of diversity; celebrating what we have in common and promoting respect for the different protected characteristics as defined in law.
• Focusing on the continuous professional development for our staff to enhance the teaching of the curriculum and the appropriate use of assessment. The practice and subject knowledge of staff are built up and improve over time. We recognise that by investing in their ongoing professional development we are also investing in the development of each learner.
• Providing a safe, happy, calm and well-ordered environment for all learners’ and staff, focused on safeguarding and risk management.

Our strong vision supports a curriculum that aims to;

‘Open up the world for our school, family and community. Driven by our values we will ensure a magical journey and memorable discoveries through our aspirational, engaging curriculum. We will inspire confidence and a love of learning in a happy, safe and nurturing environment with respect for all.’

Our Curriculum is designed to enable learners’ to access the Early Years or National Curriculum, developing their skills and knowledge using strategies and interventions that help to reduce the impact of their barriers to learning. We deliver our curriculum in two year topic cycles and a host of curriculum enrichment days and weeks. Our curriculum is organised into three pathways. 1, for learners’ who need pre subject specific learning. 2, for learners’ who need semi formal subject specific learning. 3, for learners’ who need formal subject specific learning. All of our children have learning plans linked to their Education Health and Care Plan.

 Our curriculum extends beyond the academic. It provides for learners’ broader development, enabling them to discover and develop their interests and talents and supports learners’ to develop their character, including their resilience, confidence and independence, and help them know how to keep physically and mentally healthy. We have achieved the Association for PE Quality Mark with Distinction, Health Schools Award, School Mental Health Award- Silver and the SMSC Gold Award. These awards represent the very ethos of Millwood where your children are at the heart of everything we do.

Further information about our curriculum is available on our website.

 We have high expectations for all learners’ in school and set challenging targets for them. We also have high expectations for learners’ behaviour and conduct and apply these expectations consistently and fairly. We are a school that practises unconditional positive regard for all.

 We are a school that values and actively promotes working in partnership with parent and carers. We have been awarded the Leading Parent Partnership Award. Parents and carers engage in the annual parental questionnaire each summer. 100% of parents and carers who responded to the summer 2023 questionnaire agree that: Millwood is a welcoming and inclusive school that promotes your child’s independence and life skills, and their physical and emotional wellbeing, we keep your child safe, your child is happy at school, we celebrate their successes and achievements, we encourage good attendance, your child makes good progress, we keep you regularly informed of their progress, and that you made the right decision in choosing Millwood. Additional comments include:

 “Amazing school, great Millwood community, we are very happy and our son runs in so happy every morning”

 “Millwood meets all of my child’s needs and is well equipped to support him with his development”

 “Major progress with my son. Best decision fighting for him to get admission to Millwood”

 “Millwood is fabulous”

 “We absolutely love Millwood school and the staff they are always on hand to support when needed. My son has come on so much and we couldn’t be more proud”

 “…has unequivocally thrived here. The inventiveness of teachers and incredible support of TA,s has been instrumental”

 “ Millwood has changed ….. life. She enjoyed every minute she’s been at Millwood”

 “We couldn’t imagine a better setting for ….to attend. This is the one school that we wanted for him and we would not want him anywhere else!”

 “The staff that have worked with my son have been nothing short of exceptional. We have had a positive school year and I appreciate all the efforts that have been made to celebrate him and help him progress”

 “They go above and beyond to support my child in everything he needs”

 “ …. thrives at Millwood ,she has proper come out of her shell”

 “Excellent lots of inclusion and resources for my sons needs”

 “Wonderful school with wonderful teachers”

Parents and carers receive a weekly newsletter, which is available on the school website, and receive weekly WOW moments via Seesaw.  We have a number of key events in the school calendar that we invite you into school to be a part of: our Christmas performances, prize day and 3 times a year parent and carers evenings to name a few.

 We work in partnership with other professionals in education, health, and social care. We meet on a regular basis with our colleagues in the SEN team and host half termly Health and Therapy meetings in school to ensure collaboration beyond school, further developing effective relationships with colleagues in other public sectors to improve outcomes for our children and families. These meetings facilitate liaison across services ensuring that barriers to learning are removed in a timely manner. Safeguarding brings everyone’s information together to build a bigger picture for the child to improve their lived experience.

 Safeguarding and child protection are at the centre of everything we do at Millwood, and we work hard with families and colleagues from Health and Social Care to enable learners’ to have the best outcomes. We employ a safeguarding and attendance lead and child and family support worker who respond to requests for Early Help Support directly from families or from other professionals. We have frequent meetings with colleagues in the Children with Disabilities Team and participate in multi-agency meetings for learners’ who are the subject of a multi-agency plan or who are Looked After. Where we have any concerns about the safety or wellbeing of learners’ we will consult with the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub follow their advice.

Beckie Savage, deputy headteacher, is the designated safeguarding lead. Shai Lampert is the safeguarding and attendance lead and Catherine Lomax is the child and family support worker.

We are a Rights Respecting School and have been awarded the Gold Award- from UNICEF.  Children’s rights are embedded in our vision, values and ethos

At the core of Millwood School is the right of all learners’ to an outstanding education and supported access to all articles in the United Nation Convention on the Rights of the Child.

 We are an inclusive school and have achieved the Inclusion Quality Mark Inclusive School Award with Centre of Excellence status.

 We have a skilled and committed governing body who understand their role and carry this out effectively. They ensure that we have a clear vision and strategy and that resources are managed well. Our chair of governors is Debi Walker and our vice chair is Eve Ryan. Please have a look at the governing body page on our website for further information.

 I hope you enjoy looking around the website and find it useful in gaining a clear insight into what we have to offer at Millwood School.

Please feel free to contact school if you have any queries or require any additional information.

With very best wishes

Joanne Hurst

Headteacher