Edstart

EdStart Specialist Independent School first opened in South Manchester in September 2010, and now operates from an additional two sites in Salford and Bolton. Its primary function is Alternative Provision, serving the region’s schools and young people by developing a suitable environment and curriculum to match their varying needs. Recently graded ‘Good’ by Ofsted, staff are now working hard towards achieving an ‘Outstanding’ school.

With various academic and vocational qualifications being offered our aim is to re-engage young people, creating opportunities which lead to reintegration to school, further education or employment. Each pupil receives an individual learning plan and is supported throughout the programme by our highly skilled teachers, learning mentors and youth workers.

Our DfE registered centres are all equipped with classrooms, ICT facilities, Smart and interactive white boards, and private one to one mentoring rooms.Facilities for cooking and art are also features of our centres. As well as creating a suitable learning environment, our centres are pupil friendly with activities available to engage pupils during break times.

Each pupil will have an opportunity to develop an individual learning plan with their Learning Mentor or Teacher which they will follow throughout their time on the programme. Goals and Targets will be set for each young person and reviewed regularly to ensure progress is carefully monitored. Behaviour is measured and recorded each week using statistical analysis to track patterns of behaviour and set targets. All the above help us measure pupils’ progress from the date of admission, to the day they move on. Pupils will have the opportunity to be taken on various rewards trips for good behaviour, classwork and / or attendance.

All pupils receive a minimum of 24 hours formal education a week. Our timetable consists of all core subjects, PSHE, History, Religious Studies, PE, Art, Employability skills and Enrichment. We can add or remove subjects based on individual needs, however we pride ourselves on providing young people with a varied and robust curriculum, preparing them for their next steps. Ensuring we cover SMSC in our lessons and the importance of Fundamental British Values, we aim to allow pupils the chance to explore their own faiths, culture and communities, as well as learning about other people’s.

At KS3 we recognise achievements through the use of AQA unit award schemes, BCS certificates, the Arts Awards, and in house rewards. We feel as well as ensuring pupils progress as they would do in
mainstream school, it is vital we promote learning and make education an enjoyable experience, for those who are heading into KS4.

EdStart is a registered exam centre and our KS4 provision allows learners to access various qualifications, led by staff who are experienced in raising attainment in demotivated learners. These include various GCSEs in Maths, English, Science, Religious Studies, Art, Statistics and Citizenship.

Existing Apprenticeship opportunities for those over 17 years old see promising sports coaches working alongside existing EdStart coaches, in primary schools across Greater Manchester. Working as part of an experienced team improving children’s fitness and wellbeing, candidates will also gain a Level 3 qualification in Primary School Sports Coaching. Many of our apprentices finish their course and become a paid member of our team, with the ultimate aim of one day becoming an EdStart Sports Coaching Franchisee.

Having EdStart across Greater Manchester means there isn’t a college that we don’t have links with. During Year 11, we work with pupils to ensure that they are aware of all the options available to them in Year 12. As well as making sure all pupils get on the right pathways, we will ensure that colleges have knowledge of any support that pupils need, including information sharing around Education and Health Care plans.

EdStart has worked with over 30 referring schools and continues to develop a reputation for reliability and exceptional communication. We recognise the importance of keeping schools up to date with information about their vulnerable young people. We have supported many schools through their Ofsted inspections, having frequently welcomed inspectors who form a judgement on how our partner schools use Alternative Provision. We also work with Virtual Schools, Education Case Workers, private care companies, and other agencies responsible for a pupil’s education.