The Willow Bank Day school is a small school to between 50 and 70 students. We provide an education for students that are not able to attend their usual school. Our aim is to provide a good school experience with a quality education and exciting opportunities to enable to students to build their knowledge, skills and their resilience so that they are better equipped to enjoy their learning and life.
Information for parents and carers
Our Logo ‘Better Together’ says it all. We are here to support your child and hopefully you will see this on a daily basis. Our staff are expert at working with young people and they are here to make sure that each child never feels lost or alone through the challenging times. Each child will have two tutors who will liaise closely with parents, home schools and other professionals to ensure the very best education and care for all.
STUDENT REVIEWS
Student reviews take place throughout the year. This is a time to review your child’s progress, any concerns and future needs of your child. We would ask that you attend these meeting to ensure that we are able to work with you in supporting and addressing your child’s needs.
All professionals involved with your child will be invited to attend the review meeting allowing us to work collectively to support your child. Following on from the review an Internal Review Report will be sent to you and any other professionals involved.
ATTENDANCE
We are committed to providing the best possible education to our students that we can. Whilst acknowledging the difficult circumstances of many of our pupils we believe that our pupils benefit best from regular attendance.
If your child is absent from school please contact the school office on 0116 2298137 stating your child’s name and reason for absence. If you have not contacted us regarding your child’s absence then the Attendance Officer will contact you to establish a reason. We need to hear from you on each day of absence.
We regularly monitor attendance and may contact you from time to time if we feel that your child’s level of attendance is decreasing and /or there is a level of disengagement in order for us to both support you and your child.
Your child’s timetable will be reviewed regularly and may change throughout their time with us. If you feel their timetable requires amendments please contact the tutor to discuss this with us.
PARENT AND CARER SUPPORT GROUP
Caring for a teenager with mental health problems can be very challenging for parents and carers, and is it all too easy to feel isolated and tired from dealing with daily tasks. All parents and carers have the opportunity for more support in caring for their teenager, by attending the Willow Bank Parents’ Group. This runs once a week over seven weeks and is a mix of discussion and some simple exercises that focus on finding ways to promote positive behaviour – with plenty of tea and cake to help us along!
The aims of the group are to:
- Share advice and information about parenting teenagers with mental health challenges
- Find and give mutual support through problem-solving
- Look at strategies that can help improve behaviour and the quality of family life
The programme follows the ‘Living with Teenagers’ course run by the Centre for Fun & Families. If you are interested, or would like to find out more, please call Micki Handford or Jayne Lister on 0116 229 8137.
PROFESSIONAL LINKS
At the Children’s Hospital School we work closely with a number of agencies in order to assist in supporting you and your child. Some of these include:
- CAMHS—Valentine Centre, Westcotes House, The Beacon
- School Nurse
- Education Welfare Service
- Attendance Improvement Service
- Hospital Consultants
- Connexions
- Mainstream Schools
- LEBC for Work Experience
- Early Help
- Social Care
- Education Psychologists
We also hope to build close links with your family to support you effectively.
FOOD AT WILLOW BANK
Breakfast Club runs every morning before lesson time. We understand that it is not always possible to have breakfast before leaving the house and it provides social time before school. All students are welcome to breakfast and a drink free of charge.
Morning break lasts for 20 minutes. Snacks and drinks are available at break.
Lunchtime is 40 minutes long. Students have the choice of bringing a packed lunch which can be stored in the student fridge or can order a school meal. If your child is entitled to free school meals please ensure that the school office has an updated copy of your entitlement certificate.
Current menus, current price list and further details about catering at Willow Bank School can be found at Food at Willow Bank
Contact numbers – Free School Meals Service
Leicester City— 0116 252 7009
Leicestershire County— 0116 3056588
MEDICATION
There may be times when your child requires medication during school hours. In order for staff to be able to administer medication to students a parental consent form must be completed and returned to school.
All medication should be:
- Handed into the office on arrival at school.
- Carried in a child proof container.
- Accompanied by a signed parental consent form from the parent giving clear instructions as to the time and amount of medication to be administered.
- If pain killing medication is administered staff will phone to confirm the time the last dose was given.
Staff will then act upon these instructions & supervise the taking of such medicine.
TRANSPORT
If you are provided with school transport please be aware that this is a provision of 2 journeys per day. If the transport is refused, arrangements for an additional taxi cannot be made.
In case of absence: Procedure for cancellation of transport—As soon as possible please:
- Telephone Willow Bank School on 0116 229 8137
- Telephone the Transporter. If more than one transporter is used each day, please inform both companies.
- When pupil returns to school telephone the transporter to reinstate transport.
- If a Local Education Authority Vehicle is used, please telephone 0116 2211454/5 (City) or 0116 3057248 (County)
Amendments to taxi arrangements can only be authorised by school. Please do not make alternative arrangements with transport or the taxi drivers directly. If you have any further queries please contact the school office on 0116 229 8137.
SEVERE WEATHER
In the unlikely event of severe winter weather making travel to school difficult, you are asked to listen to your local radio station for an announcement about school closure or the suspension of special needs transport. We shall try to notify radio stations before 7:30am. If we are advised that roads are hazardous, we do not want to put students or staff at risk. If the weather changes for the worse during the day and we take a decision to close early to prevent students & staff from being stranded we shall contact you directly to let you know the arrangements. Please ensure that our emergency contact number for you is up to date. So that our phone line does not become overloaded we would be grateful, if you did not contact us but be patient and we shall contact you.
The local Radio Stations are:-
Radio Leicester 104.9FM
Capital FM 105.4FM
Heart 106 106.0FM
Sabras Sound Ltd 12.60AM
COMPLAINTS
If you do have a concern, or wish for further explanation, you are invited to contact the School so that the matter can be discussed with the Head teacher or a member of staff designated by him. The school’s complaints policy can be found here
Most questions and anxieties can be dealt with in this way, however should you not be satisfied with the outcome then we would request that your concerns be put into writing and addressed to Chair of Governors, Willow Bank School, Simmins Crescent, Leicester LE2 9AH.
To download a copy of the parent information guide click here
