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!
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 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…
We’re pleased to sponsor the entrance fees for two families to attend this years Spectrum Festival.
The event allows people with Autism and other disabilities to have fun in an environment where they can truly be themselves, whilst providing parents and carers a space to relax, without fear of judgement.
The Spectrum festival was the first of its kind in the UK. Its many fantastic, activities, exhibitors, acts and staff will provide a fun and inclusive environment for everyone to enjoy themselves throughout the day. The aim of the festival is to support and educate families, giving guidance to those who need it.
The festival takes place at Lea Green Learning and Development Centre, a fantastic facility with a reputation for excellence in all area’s. The charity that we support and supports us is Autism Awareness Central UK, a very worthwhile charity that strives to support as many people as possible across the County (See details above for both)
All ages are welcome, and you don’t need an official diagnosis to attend. The don’t even need be on the Spectrum. Why not join us for some fun, support and to meet with likeminded people from all over the country.
What’s On | Spectrum | Autism Festival | ADHD (spectrumautismfestival.co.uk)
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!
Edgewood School will be the newest and latest edition to the SENAD Group portfolio. Currently undergoing major building and renovation work, our site in Lingswood Park, Northampton will become a vibrant, ambitious and caring independent day and residential school for young people aged 7 up to 18 years old.
Opening in Autumn 2023, the school will be able to accommodate up to 26 pupils, first starting with day placements (14) and then after completion of the children’s home development, reaching up to 12 residential placements (38 and 52 week). Pupils who attend will have an EHCP and experience a range of special educational needs including: Autism, moderate to severe learning disabilities, speech, language and communication difficulties and challenging behaviours.
All classes will be small with a high staff to pupil ratio and the school will offer a broad curriculum designed to meet the very individual needs of each pupil and supported by a range of therapeutic programmes.
We are currently recruiting for the school Headteacher
On Friday 17th March, Rowden House School and West Midlands Learning Campus, & Community Homes, Herefordshire, took part in the annual campus Comic Relief Competition.
This year Comic Relief teamed up with Mr Men/Little Miss to produce some fabulous merchandise to raise money for this year’s cause.
Here are our very own Little Miss & Mr Men, all sporting their red noses & Mr Men/Little Miss outfits, along with their creations for our annual competition.
Thank you to everyone who entered this year’s Competition for #comicrelief
The overall winners of the Mr Men & Little Miss Competition were:
• Silver Class – Rowden House – Overall Winners
• Fairfield House – Adult Home Winner
• GO, Purple Class – Runner Up
• OM, Purple Class – Runner Up
• LMc, Purple Class – Runner Up
Thank you to everyone who purchased a red nose & entered the competition this year, we have raised £50.00 which is a fantastic effort.
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.
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
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!
