Admissions
Hailey Hall School (a converter Academy) works in conjunction with Hertfordshire County Council and other sending authorities as a strategic resource for meeting the needs of pupil’s identified as having emotional, behavioural and mental health difficulties.
Its admission policy ethos is to do everything within its power to assist those authorities in meeting the needs for appropriate pupils. The criteria to be met for a pupil to be considered for admission is described within the full Admission Policy.
- All referrals for admission are relayed to the school via the sending authorities SEN departments. No referrals will be considered from any other sources.
- The LA usually refers pupils for admission following the recommendations from an Annual Review of the Educational Health Care Plan, at which an LA Officer may have been in attendance.
- If, prior to the Annual Review Meeting of the EHCP, it is suggested that a placement in Hailey Hall School may be an outcome, it would be appropriate for the school to send a representative to the Annual Review if possible.
- Pupils referred to Hailey Hall School will have an Education Health Care Plan.
- The final decision on the appropriateness of a placement in Hailey Hall School of a pupil must be one in which parent/carer, school, pupil and local authority are in agreement.
- When a decision is made to request a placement at Hailey Hall School, the LA will send to Hailey Hall School all relevant reports and documents including the EHCP. A request to visit the school must be made by the parent/carers and the pupil. Hailey Hall will not deem the process of consultation to have begun until ALL documents required and requested have been received. A meeting will then be held and other professionals involved with the pupil may also be invited to attend this meeting or a separate meeting at Hailey Hall School.
- The parent/carer can book a tour of the school guided by the admissions officer.
- It is the decision of the LA to fund transport to and from school for the duration of the child’s placement as deemed appropriate by the school and contact the parent/carer to inform them of the arrangements made.
- Where the school has concerns about the proposed admission of a pupil and the school requires additional funding to accommodate the pupil’s more complex needs, whilst ensuring that the education and development of other pupils at Hailey Hall School are not negatively impacted by resources and/or funds being diverted for the pupil in question, the school will contact the Special Educational Needs Group in order to discuss additional funding or resources.
- The school reserves the right to further discuss funding should the needs of the pupil change during their time at the school.
- Following the visit, the school will contact the LA to arrange an admission date which will usually be at the start of the next term and will be staged across the anticipated time range for admission to enable a smooth transition and to avoid the destabilisation of a large number of pupils simultaneously.
- By the date of the pupil’s admission, the school will have determined in which teaching group he will be timetabled and other arrangements, and to reiterate the school’s expectations. Baseline testing will be administered, during the first term.
- Where, retrospectively the school believes the placement has proven inappropriate; the school will contact the Special Education Group to arrange an Emergency Review to determine whether additional/alternative placement or resources would be appropriate. This contact will initially occur through the SENCO/Deputy Headteacher or Headteacher.
Admissions Appeals
The local authority is the admission officer for Hailey Hall School and all appeals are managed by the Special Educational Needs Department. Detailed information can be found by accessing the following website www.hertsdirect.org.