Our School

Calthorpe was founded in 1896 and continues to serve as an all age (2-19) co-educational Special School located near to the centre of Birmingham. Calthorpe transferred to its present site in 1975 and provides excellent facilities for children with Special Educational Needs.

Sports Centre Entrance Our pupils are admitted from all wards within the City, with numerous other pupils funded by other Local Education Authorities. The school caters for children with a wide range of educational difficulties, ranging from moderate, severe and complex needs.

In addition, some may have specific physical, sensory, behavioural or autistic conditions, all of which may require additional adult support or specialised facilities.

In our endeavour to meet these wide ranging educational and social needs, we have developed an appropriate curriculum, which encompasses and extends the National Curriculum. Our whole school curriculum model, provides a natural progression from an Early Learning Development Foundation, towards full participation within the National Curriculum framework, with programmes designed for and implemented at an appropriate level.

Calthorpe has been awarded Sports College status and is in receipt of the Charter Mark and Investors in People Awards.

The Central Collegiate Academy

The Central Collegiate Academy (CCA) has now existed for over three years. The group of schools involved is Bordesley Green Girls, Calthorpe, Golden Hillock, Moseley, Saltley and Small Heath.

Since the CCA was first set up, the situation with respect to collaboration has changed considerably. We are members of three collaborative groups: Central LIG Group (Leadership Incentive Grant), Central 14-19 Collegiate (funded by the Learning Skills Council) and Central Excellence in Cities Network. This year the other LIG schools are being invited to join CCA, and if they wish to do so, this will bring the groups into line and reduce the number of meetings.

The CCA was awarded a set-up funding of £80,000 pa for three years but this period is over and the group is now self-funding. Schools’ contributions will provide the necessary funding to meet the group’s obligations and to stage training days and joint meetings. However, there will be very little flexibility and thus limited opportunities for teams to seek collegiate funding for initiatives.

Statement of Intent

We have committed to creating a Collegiate Academy with a ‘culture of aspiration in which all are valued, all can achieve and diversity is celebrated.

We shall

Continuing Collaboration


Sleuth

We use SLEUTH as a behaviour monitoring tool which has proven very useful in monitoring children’s behaviour and in the identification of appropriate strategies to support learning. Data analysis provides us with information to eliminate environmental triggers and factors and has created a clearer picture of the progress that students have made throughout the academic year.

SLEUTH also provides very detailed reports that help to inform behaviour strategies used within the classroom to help pupils to improve by supporting them to reach their full potential.

Team Teach

At Calthorpe School we provide the best possible education. We provide exiting opportunities that engage young people in a variety of activities that support learning both in school and beyond. In the event of our pupils experiencing stressful moments we have a range of strategies in place to support them and provide possible solutions for everyday incidents.

Pupils that exhibit challenging behaviour have a Positive Handling Plan in place with de-escalation strategies that are differentiated and tailored to their specific needs.

To ensure that incidents are dealt with promptly, sympathetically and appropriately we have adopted a Team Teach approach across the whole school.

Team Teach offers strategies for behaviour management including positive handling skills, verbal and non verbal communication, diversion and de-escalation and safe effective, humane physical interventions. It is accredited by the British Institute of Learning Disabilities and Department for Education and the Department of Health.

Positive handling techniques are used to prevent pupils from self harming, harming peers or staff or to prevent damage to property. It is only applied as a last resort and always in the best interest of a young person.

Community Links

Calthorpe has numerous business and community links. Over recent years Eversheds has assisted the school with support for the PMLD (Profound Multiple Learning Disability) area, making contributions towards new equipment for the department. Employees have provided time to assist our literacy work and to produce artwork in our newly equipped nursery.

Calthorpe has forged links with local colleges and other businesses and training organisations to provide opportunities for pupils, parents and staff at Calthorpe.

We have developed quality work experience placements as well as running mini enterprise and work weeks. These links provide opportunities for our pupils to participate in more permanent work placements.

Calthorpe links with local colleges have enabled us to provide a broad range of courses for parents, in areas such as:

Information Technology (CLAIT)
Makaton Communication
Soft Furnishing and Dress Making
NVQ Childcare
Basic English for Parents
Urdu
Basic Word processing

School Session Times

School Session Times are as follows:

School term dates are provided by Birmingham City Council.