Ellen Tinkham School

Welcome to our Wonderful School and College!

Our whole school community is passionate about creating and delivering high quality learning opportunities for each individual. Our teams work hard to ensure our learning is deeply personalised by responding to each student’s needs and starting points.

Ellen Tinkham School is based over two sites – Early Years, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 pupils (primary age) are taught on the Hollow Lane site in Pinhoe, Exeter. When pupils reach secondary age, students move and continue their education at our College based at Wayside Crescent in Whipton Barton. Our Key Stage 3 and 4 students remain at the College and apply to join our Sixth Form department at the end of Year 11. Our Sixth Form department is based in Building One at Hollow Lane. Students can remain in Post 16 until they are 19 years of age.

Katy Bradley is our Head of School based at Hollow Lane, and also our Acting Head of College based at Wayside Crescent.

There is a range of expertise throughout our school and college, from our highly skilled teachers and teaching assistants to a range of teams and leaders. Together, we ensure every child’s needs are met. Our teachers lead their class team through shared goals which are informed by parents, families, NHS medical, nursing and therapy professionals, alongside our support teams in school.

Our broad and balanced curriculum enables learners to be well prepared for the future and fully realise their dreams. We always consider the next steps on our pupils’ journey through Ellen Tinkham School and beyond; we are always ready to take the next step towards an exciting and fulfilling destination. To ensure pupils reach their full potential, our curriculum provides a progressive learning pathway that inspires and challenges pupils to gain the knowledge they need to lead fulfilling lives, as independently as possible.

Pupils are taught in inclusive classrooms where learning environments are adapted according to each class group. Incorporated into each class is a multi‐sensory space for focused sensory work. We aim for every pupil to be fully engaged with their learning.

Pupils are continually assessed by their class teacher and person-centred reviews of an individual’s EHCP (Education, Health and Care Plan) take place annually. Individual targets are then set as part of their Home:School Agreement. Parent/teacher meetings are held each term so that the pupil's progress and supporting strategies can be discussed.

In lower school, targets are categorised into the 4 areas taken from the Code of Practice: Physical and Sensory, Cognition and Learning; Social and Emotional; and Communication. The curriculum includes core subjects of Maths, English and PSHE and individual subject leaders ensure their subjects are effectively and appropriately adapted as pupil progress through the school.

As students enter upper school, skills for life & living and work experience are also on offer in addition to the curriculum. Our commitment to a person-centred approach to ensure students receive personalised learning and an individualised programme continues into Sixth Form, which follows the Preparing for Adulthood curriculum:
• Education and Employment
• Independent Living
• Community Inclusion, and
• Health

We give a genuine focus on providing “real-life, real-world” opportunities that enables society to welcome and accept people with all types of special educational needs. We work creatively to ensure our pupils thrive and remain highly visible in their local communities, which value and celebrate their true worth and potential. At the centre of this is our ongoing commitment to meaningful partnership with our pupils, parents, peers, Governors, and professional partners.

Thank you for working with us to promote an inclusive society that recognises the talents of our amazing children and young people so that everyone will be the best that they can be, everyone has a voice and no-one is excluded.

Image: Nikki Burroughs ‒ Executive Head