These are the questions we are most often asked. If you don't find what you're looking for, please get in touch by email here.

 

What are your class sizes?

At Polowen, we keep our class sizes small, with up to 10 learners in each class. Smaller classes allow us to get to know every young person as an individual, provide personalised support, and create a calm, nurturing environment where learners can build confidence, develop independence and thrive at their own pace.

 

Where are the learners based?

Polowen has been thoughtfully designed to provide a calm, welcoming and nurturing environment where learners feel safe, supported and ready to learn. While being part of the wider Poltair School community, Polowen has its own dedicated specialist spaces that have been carefully planned to meet a range of individual needs.

Learners will have access to:

A dedicated classroom

A calm and structured learning environment where lessons are personalised to meet individual needs.

A sensory room

A relaxing space designed to support emotional regulation, reduce anxiety and provide a calming environment when needed.

A sensory integration room

A specialist space with equipment that supports movement, balance, coordination and sensory processing, helping learners to feel ready for learning.

A kitchen and life skills area

A practical space where learners can develop independence through cooking, food preparation and everyday life skills.

Social and wellbeing spaces

Comfortable areas where learners can build friendships, develop communication skills and enjoy structured social activities.

Outdoor areas

Opportunities to access outdoor spaces for learning, movement breaks, wellbeing activities and fresh air throughout the day.

Access to Poltair School

As part of the wider Poltair community, learners will also have opportunities to use specialist teaching rooms, facilities and wider school experiences where appropriate and tailored to their individual needs.

Every space within Polowen has been created with one aim in mind: to help every learner feel safe, valued and empowered to flourish. Our environment is designed to reduce barriers to learning, promote independence and provide the right support for every young person to succeed.

 

Are the learners taught by specialist teachers?

Learners at Polowen are taught by qualified teachers who have experience of supporting children and young people with additional needs. Our team has a strong understanding of how to adapt teaching, communication and the learning environment so that every learner can access the curriculum and achieve success.

Alongside our teachers, learners are supported by a skilled teaching assistant who work closely with them throughout the school day. Together, they provide personalised support, helping learners to develop academically, socially and emotionally.

Where appropriate, we also work closely with a range of external professionals, including speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, educational psychologists and health professionals. By working together, we ensure that each learner receives the right support at the right time.

At Polowen, we believe that specialist provision is about more than specialist staff, it's about building trusting relationships, understanding every learner's strengths and needs, and creating an environment where every young person can flourish.

We really value the staff who are committed to supporting the learners within Polowen and therefore have an enriched and extensive programme of professional development.

 

What support is there for learners?

Every learner at Polowen will receive support that is tailored to their individual strengths, needs and aspirations. We recognise that no two young people are the same, so support is personalised and reviewed regularly in partnership with families.

We have access to staff who are trained in supporting learners with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). They deliver targeted speech and language interventions and use communication-friendly strategies throughout the school day to help learners develop their understanding, confidence and communication skills.

Depending on each learner's needs, support may include:

• Speech and language interventions delivered by trained members of staff.
• Small group and one-to-one support to develop communication, learning and social skills.
• Personalised learning with teaching adapted to suit each learner's strengths and needs.
• Communication-friendly classrooms using visual supports, clear routines and strategies that help learners understand and express themselves.
• Emotional wellbeing support to help learners feel safe, regulated and ready to learn.
• Life skills and independence programmes that prepare learners for everyday life, future education and adulthood.
• Partnership with families, ensuring parents and carers are involved in planning, reviewing progress and celebrating success.

We also work closely with external professionals, including Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Educational Psychologists and other specialist services, to ensure learners receive the right support at the right time.

Our aim is to build every learner's confidence, character and curiosity, helping them to develop the skills they need to flourish both in school and beyond.

 

What curriculum do you follow?

Polowen follows a bespoke specialist curriculum designed around the individual needs of our learners. While it is informed by the National Curriculum, it places equal emphasis on therapeutic development, functional communication and independence skills.

We use a Total Communication approach throughout all learning, ensuring every learner can access, understand and express themselves using the communication methods that work best for them.

Our curriculum is structured across four core areas: 

• My Thinking and Problem Solving
• My Communication
• My Independence and My Leisure

Together, these allow us to provide a personalised, meaningful and developmentally appropriate learning experience for every learner.

 

What is the Polowen uniform?

 

How do we apply for a place at Polowen?

Decisions for placement are made with the Local Authority (LA). Requests for placement are through the EHCP annual review process including consultation with a SEND case worker from the LA. There is no preference towards learners either within feeder schools or currently on roll within our school.