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Physical Disability Resource Unit - Kennet School

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There has been a PD Resource at Kennet School for more than 40 years. A purpose built, and very impressive, state of the art Resource was opened in September 2013. The facilities include a physiotherapy room, a large, light and airy main room with social, kitchen and work areas, 2 classrooms and superb disabled toilet and personal care facilities. Since September 2025, a second resource has been created for our 6th Form students, with fully accessable toilet, study space and physiotherphy room. 

The role of the PDR is to support pupils to enable them to access the curriculum, to integrate into the mainstream school and to develop into confident, independent young adults. Our 6th form resource provides space for private study alongside other support needs.

We support over 20+ pupils with EHC plans in the Resource, with a wide range of conditions and academic abilities. Support is individualised to meet their needs. All pupils are fully integrated into the main school, whilst others have an adapted curriculum to meet their physical, emotional, cognitive and or medical needs. We have a strong, experienced team including Welfare Assistants who support pupils in their medical, emotional and personal care.

We encourage parents to get in touch with concerns and to share information. There are regular meetings, including Integrated Therapy Reviews with the Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist and Speech and Language Therapist as appropriate. The pupils’ views are listened to and older pupils are encouraged to take on the role of liaising about matters to do with their health, education and care.

We support our pupils to have a range of community expereinces; these can be through taking part in Sports Day, Boccia and Table Cricket for their House, attending Year 7 Camp in the Summer or attending clubs within our co-curricular whole school provision. Kennet has a inspiring rewards programme which is open to all pupils to achieve through a broad range of expereinces. 

Further information can be found at www.kennetschool.co.uk

Costs

no cost

Academy Mainstream School in partnership with Local Authority funded resource

Activity Period

School day is Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 3.30pm Term time only. Homework club after school, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday until 4:30pm

Is referral required?

Yes

Referral and Availability Notes

Once a tour has been completed, please contact West Berkshire Council School admissions if you are considering applying for placement at Kennet School initially, and specifically with support from the Physical Disability Resource.  The EHCP naming Kennet PDR would be added to the EHCP. We would welcome any prospective pupils and their families to arrange a tour of Kennet School and our Physical Disability Resource before choosing our establishment. Please contact Mr. Joyce directly to arrange these.

Do you cater for special dietary requirements? If so can you provide details?

Yes, Pupils within the PDR may have specific dietary requirements which are met in conjunction with parents and external agencies as required.

Give details of your SEND provision here

The PDR exists to support pupils with Physical Disability with or without learning difficulties to access Kennet's main stream education; Key Stage 3 through to Key Stage 5. We have extensive experience of supporting a wide range of conditions. Our pupils study GCSEs, BTECs in Key stage 4 and A-levels and T-levels in Years 12 & 13.

Maximum Places

25

Do you offer funded childcare places: For 3 and 4 year olds, if yes, how many places?

No

Do you offer before and or after school provision?

We run homework club on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursday until 4:30.

For what age children do you offer provision?

11-18; Key Stage 3, 4 and 5.

Do you have immediate vacancies?

Yes

Vacancy range - please include start age, end age and places

Yrs 7 to 12, 11 to 17 year olds. Provision and support would be further planned through meetings prior to application to discuss a pupil's needs, and before an agreed transition start.

Opening Times - please include day, start time and end time

From 8:30am, learning begins at 8:50am to 3:30pm (4:30 that includes homework club)

Do you provide drop off or collection services?

Yes, from 8:30am before school, and after school from 3:30. Funded transport would be discussed between the local authority and parents/carers.

Do you have a waiting list and how many people are on it?

Please complete a query for an up-to-date information re possible placement via office@kennetschool.co.uk

Related Links

https://vle.kennetschool.co.uk/website/physically-disabled

Local Offer

  • Maintained 1.1 How does the school identify children/young people with special educational needs and disabilities?

    Most pupils are allocated consistent timetabled support with one of our Teaching Assistants in their mainstream lessons as outlined by the pupil's EHCP and placement discussions. Our welfare team support intimate care at social times and medicaton needed during that day. Teaching Assistants are not singly allocated to specific pupils. Every pupil will have a welfare member of staff as their pastoral support and main contact for parents/carers.

  • Maintained 1.2 What should I do if I think my child has SEND?

    Contact Kennet School Resource or SENCO for specific conversation if the child does not currently have an EHCP.

  • Maintained 10.1 Who would be my first point of contact if I want to discuss something about my child or if I am worried?

    The pupil’s welfare person would be the first contact daily, alongside their tutor. This could be at drop off, by email or over the phone. It maybe useful to cc one of the resource leads into any communication or speak to them if the allocated welfare staff was not for some reason available.

  • Maintained 10.2 Does the school offer any specific support for parents / carers and families, such as Family Support Workers?

    A young person’s welfare staff has responsibility similar to a family support worker, alongside welfare and education leads. If specific concern for a pupil is needs to be supported more deliberately the resource as several training Emotional Literacy Support Assistants within the resource term. The resource encourages parents/carers to share concerns before booking a meeting or phone call to talk more.

  • Maintained 10.3 What arrangements does the school have for signposting parents / carers to external agencies which can offer support, such as voluntary agencies?

    Kennet has an experienced pastoral support team which includes Heads and Deputy Heads of House, Matron, Safeguarding Leads and Senior Mental Health Lead and the pupil’s tutor. Please let either their tutor or welfare person know your enquiry for further support such as an additional needs mental wellbeing queries to begin discussions

  • Maintained 10.4 What arrangements does the school have for feedback from parents, including compliments and complaints?

    In the first instance, please speak to the young person’s tutor or welfare staff or one of the resource leads: Welfare Leads, Education Leads or Resource Leads. Alternatively, parents/carers can contact their person’s Head of House or the school office@kennetschool.co.uk

  • Maintained 2.1 If my child is identified as having SEND, who will oversee and plan their education programme?

    The Resource Lead alongside Education Leads and Welfare Leads

  • Maintained 2.2 How will I be informed / consulted about the ways in which my child is being supported?

    Daily contact with school is through a child's allocated Welfare support. Each pupil has a Support & Achievement Plan every term alongside their Annual Review.

  • Maintained 2.3 How will the school balance my child's need for support with developing their independence?

    Each pupil will be with their year group peers in House and tutor group. Kennet's House system is an excellent foundation of opportunities for all pupils who to explore specific interests linked to their subjects outside of school activities. Our co-curricular clubs provide unique opportunities to explore throughout the academic year, and signpost to further events in the busy calendar. The resource staff are passionate in supporting PDR pupils to explore these and with subject leads to makes as accessible as possible.

  • Maintained 2.4 How will the school match / differentiate the curriculum for my child's needs?

    All pupils attend mainstream lessons outlined by their school timetables. Where physiotherapy is provided in school, a pupil's timetable is adapted to fit this in. Some pupils have over-teaching that aids any gaps in knowledge or to practice application of learnt key terms or consent from mainstream subject lessons or to manage fatigue in the resource as agreed with parents.

  • Maintained 2.5 What teaching strategies does the school use for children with learning difficulties, including autistic spectrum disorder, hearing impairment, visual impairment, speech and language difficulties?

    The PDR consults with West Berkshire Autism Team, Sensory Consortium Service, Speech and Language Therapist. Kennet as a Hearing Resource Base that support pupils with an EHCP to support their hearing needs.

  • Maintained 2.6 What additional staffing does the school provide from its own budget for children with SEND?

    The SEND departments and resources work in partnership if there is any gap in provision. Kennet PDR is funded by the Local Authority through top-up funding.

  • Maintained 2.7 What specific intervention programmes does the school offer to children with SEND and are these delivered on a one to one basis or in small groups?

    1:1 support in the resource through over-teaching or agreed other provisions.

  • Maintained 2.8 What resources and equipment does the school provide for children with SEND?

    Accessable bathrooms in the resources, accessable toilets in mainstream buildings, 3 physiotherapy spaces with a range of equipment and space of peronsalised equipment (e.g. standing equipment, physio beds and Medibike.

  • Maintained 2.9 What special arrangements can be made for my child when taking examinations?

    Pupils are accessed for exam access arrangements during their time in Key Stage 3, which are finalised in the summer before starting GCSEs. These can be updated during their time in KS4 and 5.

  • Maintained 3.1 How will the school monitor my child's progress and how will I be involved in this?

    Kennet follows assessment plans created by our Senior Leadership Team that include termly knowledge tests, formal assessments, external assessments, parents consolations once a year alongside annual school reports.

  • Maintained 3.2 When my child's progress is being reviewed, how will new targets be set and how will I be involved?

    For PDR pupil, this is through termly Support & Achievement Plans and their annual review. After each mainstream assessment, tutor groups complete personal development reviews with their tutor.

  • Maintained 3.3 ln addition to the school's normal reporting arrangements, what opportunities will there be for me to discuss my child's progress with school staff?

    Parents and carers can contact their child's teachers, tutors and Heads of House by email to arrange further conversations.

  • Maintained 3.4 What arrangements does the school have for regular home to school contact?

    Pupils supported by the resource each have one of our welfare staff as their first point of contact. Parents/Carers make connect with their child’s welfare by email, phone or at point of drop off or collection. Each child also has their Tutor who they meet twice day in tutor time.

  • Maintained 3.5 How can I help support my child's learning?

    Parents/carers can seek support through a pupil’s tutor or their PDR welfare with any concerns, or contact their class teacher by email. We encourage parents/carers to track their learning through FROG and ePraise. These applications share the homework that has been set and their positive or negative engagement to their learning in the classroom.

  • Maintained 3.6 Does the school offer any help for parents / carers to enable them to support their child's learning, eg. training or learning events?

    Kennet invite parents to ‘Connect with Kennet’ which focus on topics such as exam stress, online safety and mental health & wellbeing. Also, Information Evenings and Parent Consultation Evenings are held during the year to meet with teachers to find out how a pupil is progressing.

  • Maintained 3.7 How will my child's views be sought about the help they are getting and the progress they are making?

    Prior to EHCP Annual Reviews pupils complete a ‘Pupil View’ document which is shared within the meeting. We invite them to attend Support & Achievement Plan meetings to share on their progress and ambition

  • Maintained 3.8 What accredited and non accredited courses do you offer for young people with SEND?

    Kennet supports pupils with physical disabilities to access mainstream lessons. At KS4 these are GCSE and BTEC courses, and KS5 A-Levels and T-Level qualifications. We also offer a T-level transition course for pupils who need time to resit English and/or Maths GCSE before entering the Level 3 qualifications such a T-level 2-year course.

  • Maintained 3.9 How does the school assess the overall effectiveness of its SEN provision and how can parents / carers and young people take part in this evaluation?

    A pupil’s Annual Review is supported by termly Support & Achievement Plans, where we discuss updates from their teachers and other professionals involved in the provision. We include assessment data and school report data to review and update targets, alongside their EHCP in the yearly annual review.

  • Maintained 4.1 What support is available to promote the emotional and social development of children with SEND?

    There a several PDR welfare staff who are trained ELSAs (Emotional Literacy Support Assistants) who can meet with pupils to once outcomes are agreed. Kennet School has several wellbeing interventions that pupils and families can be guided through to find the right intervention for them. These can be internal like ELSA, or external practitioners who work closely with the school’s Senior Mental Health Lead.

  • Maintained 4.2 What support does the school put in place for children who find it difficult to conform to normal behavioural expectations and how do you support children to avoid exclusion?

    Kennet has a clear behaviour policy that outlines school expectations and support that is put in place for pupils. Our House system is the foundation for this though experienced pastoral leads in for our four Houses.

  • Maintained 4.3 What medical support is available in the school for children with SEND?

    Kennet has a full-time matron who supports PDR welfare staff if there are any emergencies or medical queries. Day to day, there are experienced first aid trained welfare and teaching assistants ready to support any needs that arise.

  • Maintained 4.4 How does the school manage the administration of medicines?

    PDR can hold medication safely once a signed agreement from parents/carers has been completed. Medication given to a pupil is witnessed by two members of staff and recorded centrally in school.

  • Maintained 4.5 How does the school provide help with personal care where this is needed, eg. help with toileting, eating etc?

    The PDR welfare team are the providers of intimate care within the resource. This is before school and social times, as well as after school. All PDR staff are trained in manual handling. There is always a ration of 2:1 staff for a pupil who needs assisted support in the bathroom. This is also the case with transfers to physiotherapy equipment. Pupils are supported to collect meals from the canteen and the right equipment to eat the food within the resource.

  • Maintained 5.1 What SEN support services does the school use, eg. specialist support teachers, educational psychologists, teachers for hearing impairment and visual impairment, ASD advisory teachers, behaviour support teachers etc?

    The PDR works closely with social workers, NHS physiotherapist and occupational therapists, Education Psychologists, Sensory Consortium Service and Berkshire’s Autism Team to seek advice and training to support pupils within the mainstream environment.

  • Maintained 5.2 What should I do if I think my child needs support from one of these services?

    A meeting with parents/carers, most likely through a Support & Achievement Plan review, would be the first step to discussing support for the pupil; however, if there are any queries or concerns parents and carers are welcome to share this via email or phone or with their child’s welfare.

  • Maintained 5.3 How are speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy services provided?

    The resource has close connections with NHS physiotherapist and occupational therapists who visit the resource at least once a month to advise our Welfare Leads on therapy plans and equipment. Together, Integrated Therapy Reviews are completed annually prior to a child’s EHCP annual review. We work with SaLT on a case-by-case basis with pupils who need support with their communication skills.

  • Maintained 5.4 What should I do if I think my child needs to be seen by a speech and language therapist, occupational therapist or physiotherapist?

    Please contact the PDR via the pupil’s welfare support, our Education and Welfare Leads or Resource Lead by phone, email or face to face for an initial discussion around the current support or further adaptations that need to be discussed.

  • Maintained 5.5 What arrangements does the school have for liaison with Children's Social Care services?

    PDR leads have a very good relationship with the Local Authority SEND Children Services. We keep social workers up to date, invite them meetings and provide space for them to meet with pupils in school. We support families who are looking for extra support from the social services.

  • Maintained 6.1 What SEND training is provided for teachers in your school?

    In partnership with the school SENCO, training is provided by the SEND leads within the school a times during the academic year. These can be training on specific needs or a review of practice. There are times when external experts are invited in to training subject teachers and teaching assistants. The staff are also given opportunities to attend specific training away from the school to further develop their practice.

  • Maintained 6.2 What SEND training is provided for teaching assistants and other staff in your school?

    Teaching Assistants are trained as outlined in section 6.1.

  • Maintained 6.3 Do teachers have any specific qualifications in SEND?

    Our SENCO and resources receive specific training for their roles, and they advise colleagues through passing on their knowledge from these training experiences.

  • Maintained 6.4 Do teaching assistants have any specific qualifications in SEND?

    Kennet PDR staff trained in understanding certain needs of pupils in the resource. They could bring qualifications completed away from the resource into their role alongside specific training. These develop over time when suitable course are available to provide up-to-date provision support to the pupils.

  • Maintained 7.1 How do you ensure children with SEND can be included in out of school activities and trips?

    Trip leaders liaise with PDR leads to proactively plan ahead of opportunities away from school. All trips are supported by a member of staff from the resource, and in most cases at a ratio of 2:1. This can include PDR staff driving the minibus to ensure pupils have access to attend a location. Where needed, visits to the site are taken, to aid planning for support the pupils on the trip. Trips can be both academic, sports related, co-curricular activities and social activities.

  • Maintained 7.2 How do you involve parents / carers in planning the support required for their child to access activities and trips?

    We share the plans for the trip with parents who are able to advise on any challenges we fore see needing; this is most important if the trip is residential full day or evening excursion.

  • Maintained 8.1 How accessible is the building for children with mobility difficulties / wheelchair users?

    The school has push-button access to main doors into most buildings. Where this is not the case, PDR staff are ready to support. The school community are also well practiced holding doors open for the peers with accessibility needs. The school have lifts to get to lessons upstairs and will be supported by a TA in the lift, or with a peer.

  • Maintained 8.2 Have adaptations / improvements been made to the auditory and visual environment?

    Classrooms are fitted with supporting equipment for hearing aids to tune into. Kennet PDR would work in consultation with our Hearing Resource Base to help meet this additional need. The resource work with Sensory Consortium Service to guide and train staff on how best to support a pupil with visual challenges to adapt equipment and technology, and lesson resources.

  • Maintained 8.3 Are there accessible changing and toilet facilities?

    The resource has four accessible bathrooms, with hoists, adapted chairs and table, in the resource and in our 6th Form resource. We also have traditional accessible bathrooms around school with perching stalls and bars for pupils to use. Most pupils chose to use the resource bathrooms before school, and at social times.

  • Maintained 8.4 How do you ensure that all the school's facilities can be accessed by children with SEND?

    The resource works with the local authority, Kennet Maintenance team and Occupational Therapists to review accessibility within the resource and around school. The 6th Form Resource is our most recent adaptation to the provision which enables 6th form students to access 6th form social times, private study space and events.

  • Maintained 8.5 How does the school communicate with parents / carers who have a disability?

    Kennet PDR would welcome parents/carers to share these with us and plan how best to make the accessible to them.

  • Maintained 8.6 How does the school communicate with parents / carers whose first language is not English?

    The resource works with a provider of interpreters for meetings in the resource or online, including face to face parents/carer consultations meetings and annual reviews.

  • Maintained 9.1 What preparation will there be for both the school and my child before he or she joins the school?

    We invite parents/carers to have a tour of the school and the resource, either on their own or with their child and young person. These can arrange during the day or after school. We welcome the community to attend our yearly open evening in September and open mornings held throughout the year. Once a placement has been confirmed or a placement in the resource, a transition meeting would be held to find out more about the young person; their interests, aspirations, medical needs, physiotherapy needs and what anything else home feel wants to share with us.

  • Maintained 9.2 How will my child be prepared to move on to the next stage within school, e.g. class or key stage?

    Once a placement is confirmed, parents/carers and pupil are invited into the resource for a transition meeting and possibly a further tour. In June of Y6, pupils are invited to spend a day in the resource and some time with Y7 peers to experience a day. They are supported by the team throughout. Kennet also hold an annual sports festival ‘Kennet Games’ where families and young people are invited to attend to experience Kennet and we begin to get to know them.

     

    Kennet School holds several curriculum experiences days and transition events for Years 10 to 13. There are opportunities to discuss these with a careers advisor from Year 9 to help make informed decisions and as well as termly SAPs.

  • Maintained 9.3 How will my child be prepared to move on to his or her next school?

    PDR leads are ready to attend Annual Reviews and SAP meetings from Year 5s and 6s. This helps to begin getting to know the young person’s interests, challenges and an early awareness of need, understanding how best to support them if they were joining Kennet. This also our desire if there is a placement change mid-year or with KS4, KS4 and 5 pupils.

  • Maintained 9.4 How will you support a new school to prepare for my child?

    If the pupil is joining Kennet: After the transition meetings, the PDR staff would begin to create an Advice Note that would be shared with their tutor, teachers and Heads of House. The transition meetings help to plan for any appropriate adaptations, training or equipment that would be used in classrooms and the resource.

     

    If the pupil it transferring to a different placement, we would work with an identified contact in the provision to share information, reports and visits to Kennet to make the transition as smooth as possible.

  • Maintained 9.5 What information will be provided to my child's new school?

    In agreement with parents/carers, we would share EHCP, Annual Review reports, Support & Achievement Plans and any other supportive information with parent/carer permission or send these home to be passed on to the new provision.

  • Maintained 10.1 Who would be my first point of contact if I want to discuss something about my child or if I am worried?

    The pupil’s welfare person would be the first contact daily, alongside their tutor. This could be at drop off, by email or over the phone. It maybe useful to cc one of the resource leads into any communication or speak to them if the allocated welfare staff was not for some reason available.

  • Maintained 10.2 Does the school offer any specific support for parents / carers and families, such as Family Support Workers?

    A young person’s welfare staff has responsibility similar to a family support worker, alongside welfare and education leads. If specific concern for a pupil is needs to be supported more deliberately the resource as several training Emotional Literacy Support Assistants within the resource term. The resource encourages parents/carers to share concerns before booking a meeting or phone call to talk more.

  • Maintained 10.3 What arrangements does the school have for signposting parents / carers to external agencies which can offer support, such as voluntary agencies?

    Kennet has an experienced pastoral support team which includes Heads and Deputy Heads of House, Matron, Safeguarding Leads and Senior Mental Health Lead and the pupil’s tutor. Please let either their tutor or welfare person know your enquiry for further support such as an additional needs mental wellbeing queries to begin discussions

  • Maintained 10.4 What arrangements does the school have for feedback from parents, including compliments and complaints?

    In the first instance, please speak to the young person’s tutor or welfare staff or one of the resource leads: Welfare Leads, Education Leads or Resource Leads. Alternatively, parents/carers can contact their person’s Head of House or the school office@kennetschool.co.uk

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Contact details

  • Name: Kennet School (Academy)
  • Address: Kennet School, Stoney Lane, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG19 4LL