Polowen is a local authority commissioned specialist provision for children and young people whose needs cannot be met through mainstream provision, even with additional support.

Places are commissioned by Cornwall Local Authority and are allocated through the EHCP consultation and placement process.

The local authority works closely with families, schools and professionals to determine whether a specialist placement is the most appropriate provision to meet a child's needs.

All learners attending Polowen must have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and specialist placement named in Section I of their EHCP.

Polowen is designed for learners who typically have:

• Moderate, Significant or Severe Learning Difficulties
• Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)
• Significant difficulties with receptive and expressive language
• Difficulties understanding and using spoken language
• A need for a Total Communication approach, including the use of visual supports, symbols, signing, AAC and structured communication systems
• Social communication differences which impact on learning and participation
• Difficulties generalising learning, maintaining attention and accessing an age-related curriculum
• Sensory processing differences and regulation needs that require a specialist environment and adapted approaches
• A need for highly personalised learning programmes, specialist teaching and increased adult support

Polowen provides a specialist environment that combines communication-focused practice, highly adapted teaching, structured routines, sensory-informed approaches and personalised pathways to enable learners to access education successfully and work towards greater independence and preparation for adulthood.