News Archive

Nominations for 2024 SENAD Staff Awards Open 15th April!

Congratulations to all the Group SENAD Staff Award winners 2022/2023!

On September 18th all winners of the site awards were invited to the Group Lunch and Awards Ceremony, where the overall Group winners were announced and presented with thier trophies and prizes by the Chief Executive, Richard Atkinson and the Directors.

Thank you to Claire Bradford for the great photos…www.claire-louisephotography.co.uk.

SENAD Staff Award Site Winners Announced

The SENAD Staff awards celebrate excellence in the quality of service we provide by recognising those individuals that go the extra mile to make a difference to the lives of those who we educate, care and support. 107 staff have been awarded this year, and have been invited to the Group Awards Lunch & Ceremony which takes place in September.

Huge congratulations to all our winners!

SENAD Group Training Manager Wins National Award

Ginette Clarke, Group Training Manager has scooped the Oliver McGowan Training Award at this year’s National Learning Disabilities & Autism Awards.

This special award acknowledges the importance of trainers who have incorporated the principles of The Oliver McGowan mandatory training into their training programme. Judges looked for a person who has shown a passion and commitment in ensuring that staff are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to reflect the experiences and needs of people with a learning disability and/or autism, to improve their health outcomes. Ginette also had to evidence co-production at each stage of the design and delivery of the training programme from people with a learning disability and/or autism.

Judges commented “Ginette goes above and beyond in her role, ensuring top notch workforce development and training within the organisation. She is clearly a committed and passionate member of the team who is much deserving of this accolade.”

Ginette was one of six members of the SENAD Group staff team who were shortlisted for this year’s awards. Congratulations to you all.

The National Learning Disabilities & Autism Awards celebrate excellence in the support for people with learning disabilities and aim to pay tribute to those individuals or organisations who excel in providing quality care.

Alderwasley Summer Festival Biggest Celebration Ever!

Alderwasley Hall School are renowned for their fantastic Summer Fairs, but this years is set to be even bigger and better as the school celebrates the 20th Anniversary of the SENAD Group. The Festival, which is Saturday 1st July 2023 starts at 11am and runs until 3pm. There will be live music from the school band and other local bands on its purpose built stage, a dog show, lots of great food and craft stalls and lots more… Definitely one not to miss…

Bladon Go Orange to raise funds for Prader Willi Syndrome Association

May is the awareness month for Prader-Willi Syndrome.

Bladon House School staff and students are holding lots of fun events on the 26th of May which is Go Orange Day for PWS!

All students and staff will wear something ‘orange’ in support of people with PWS and raise awareness. The main events on the day are the Treadmill Marathon Challenge and an art competition for the best PWS poster.

 Staff will have the opportunity to take part in clocking up the miles in the marathon challenge from 7.30am with each class having a timeslot throughout the day, ending at 2pm. After completing their treadmill challenge students will receive a certificate of achievement, a PWS wristband or pen and an orange jelly. Art competition winners will receive a PWS baseball cap.

If you would like to make a donation to PWS click here.

Good Luck Everyone!

Apprenticeship Success For Simon

A huge well done to Simon Colledge, who is the first employee in the SENAD Group to successfully complete the Apprenticeship Children, Young People and Families Practitioner Level 4.

Simon received his certificate in December after completing the final End Point Assessment. The qualification was delivered by Derby College and Simon has worked very hard (particularly as he also works nights). I’d like to congratulate Simon on his fabulous achievement.

Simon said ‘I feel very proud to be the first SENAD employee to obtain an Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education Level 4 qualification which will help me to improve the service I provide to the young people in my care. However, this achievement is very much a collective effort and would not have been possible without the support and advice of members of the management team, my line manager (Rikki) and colleagues at Bladon House School.’

The photo shows Simon Colledge, Night Waking Assistant at Bladon House School, receiving his Young People and Families Practitioner Level 4 certificate from Team Leader, Rikki Smith.

Bladon Team welcome Birmingham Childrens Hospital Specialist Nurse

We were pleased to welcome Sarah Say, Clinical Nurse Specialist for the complications of excess weight service at Birmingham Childrens Hospital visited Bladon House School to discuss how the school and childrens home, work effectivity with young people with Prader Willi Syndrome. The hospital is setting up an early help and intervention service to support families managing children that have a Prader-Willi Syndrome diagnoses.

Emma Deloughery- Strategic Behaviour Support, Bladon House School

Sarah Say – Clinical Nurse Specialist, Birmingham Childrens Hospital

Heidi Crockford- Deputy Head of Care, Bladon House School

Aran Hall School. Fresh Classroom > Fresh Ideas > Fresh Talent!

For several years, Gardening sessions and work experience opportunities for our young people at Aran Hall School have been a feature of timetables and weekly activity plans. Following the building of a purpose-built Gardening classroom, it has positively bloomed!

The new classroom provides an ideal space for young people and staff to pot plants, share ideas, store materials and learn interesting and useful facts about the natural world and local environment.

Our young people have always shown a keen interest in the nature on their door-step – and aren’t we lucky that it literally is right here on our door-step? Now they have the facilities to take their grand-scale ideas to the next level: chicken coops are planned and ready for building; fruit trees are planted; the poly-tunnel is bursting with plants and crops. It’s an exciting time for the young people and teacher Ewen Silcock, responsible for the Gardening projects.

Something that wasn’t quite so exciting was the inside of the Gardening classroom: although practical and ideal for purpose, it somehow seemed a bit dull compared with the promising plans being made. Cue Art teacher, Richard Morgan, who has been working with the young people on a variety of projects since 2019, and his equally grand imagination and creativity.

A transformation has taken place and when you step inside the classroom, it’s no longer like walking into any garden shed; it’s like being plunged into the middle of the rainforest! The walls boast an explosion of colourful plans and wildlife – it’s a truly magical vision. And what makes it even more special and inspirational is that it’s the work of our very own young people; everyone has contributed. Their mission – and, yes, they chose to accept it with the most impressive grace – has been a huge success and a wonderful way of blending the practicalities of gardening with the creativity of art: an impressive space where the imaginations of our youngsters can be cultivated with ease and flair.

Congratulations to our young people, Richard and Ewen, and thank you for sharing your talent with this transformation!