NEWS

Hope is the last item that flies out of Pandora’s Box.
A rainbow is the symbol of hope and you cannot see a double rainbow without looking up and smiling.
This was the anniversary of the past - now we have hope for the future...

Buckinghamshire, July 2016

Education is like Hegel’s pendulum - just as you think you are on the right track it swings back and surprises you!

But let’s talk about really important things!

Multi Academy Trust
Despite yet another announcement of an educational change CCHS has a uniqueness that enables us to carry on with our own beliefs, philosophy and ethos.

One of the changes we may have to accept is that of becoming a Multi Academy Trust. There are two routes that we can take, one is to join up with a group of mainstream and special schools, the other, preferred by the DfE is that all hospital schools become one large MAT, this they hope will simplify the funding of hospital education. 

15 hospital schools have been working with the DfE and educational specialists who run Multi-Academy Trusts to ensure we are aware of all the issues that may arise before we make an absolute commitment. 

Harley Street Hospital and the Portland Hospital
We have been approached by The Harley Street Hospital and The Portland Hospital to develop a joint project to provide education at both hospitals. We feel lucky to have been given the opportunity to bring education to this group of patients with ages from 3-18, with a wide range of medical conditions including oncology, cardiac and neurology. This project can commence as soon as we have finalized a plan.

Foulis Ward
We have been applying for funding for the patients on Foulis ward who are often in hospital for long periods.  As the treatment for Cystic Fibrosis has improved so radically our young people are very keen to continue their education whilst in hospital so they can pursue a career.  At present we offer careers guidance, art sessions, and only two afternoons of Academic support, this is clearly not sufficient and we have been lucky enough to be supported by the Brompton Hospital Charity to apply for two full time teachers, this will enable all patients on Foulis to continue their education after they have transferred from Rose ward.  We are expecting an answer very soon.

Summer holiday programme
Thank you to all the staff who worked with such creativity and energy throughout the six weeks of the summer.  The work produced is so full of light and fun.  For the first time we also provided a six-week programme at Collingham, due to the NHS cancelling our usual holiday at Sayers Croft.  We used the money we usually spent on the holiday to employ a sports specialist, a dancer and a cook, as well as our artist in residence and usual holiday staff.  The RHS were also involved and the garden has been completely transformed.

Chef training programme
A restaurant in Ladbroke Grove offered to take three to four children each week to experience a chef training programme.  This was incredibly successful and the owner has offered to continue this experiment during the autumn term.

Moving on
We wish our students who are moving on to College this term a very successful time, it is important to realize that all of them have faced many challenges during their education and that they have managed to be accepted at college is a wonderful achievement.  The careers guidance has been a major part of this success.

Qualifications
Congratulations to all our students and staff whose hard work has enabled them to gain academic qualifications, in project qualifications it was wonderful that our students achieved such excellent results.  Many thanks to the staff who have been leading the project qualifications.  It will one of the schools targets this year that all secondary staff will be responsible for a project qualification and for Primary staff that they will be taking on some responsibility for the Arts award.  Another very complicated year for our exams officer who has been exceedingly diligent and efficient.

Audit
We are delighted to have received our audit report which has shown us to be incredibly organised and fully assured for the future.  Well done and thank you to everybody involved and a special thank you to Suet and Paulina.

Music and Art
Music and Art have always been at the centre of the curriculum at CCHS, and the recent projects developed with Wigmore Hall, was a rich mix of art, music and drama.  So brilliant that the Wigmore Hall have asked us to have another project, any ideas gratefully received.  We are also so very lucky to have the LSO continuing to provide music at Collingham with Jessie’s Fund.   However not much longer unless I get the piano tuned!

Black History Month
I would like to remind you of Black History Month in October, do visit www.blackhistoryuk.org, some very vibrant ideas and potential visitors.

Websites
Our websites www.cchs.org.uk  www.wellatschool.org and bullyfree.org have expanded to such an extent that people search for information and advice from all over the world. The newly developed data base is much more efficient and I value the amount of time and effort all staff put into ensuring clear, concise and insightful comments are included for each student.

Staff
An enormous thank you to all staff who have worked so very hard over the past year with such a focus and energy and so many ideas - the Writers Blog, the Royal Horticultural Society, the excellent presentations and input into the HOPE conference. Congratulations to all involved, the feedback I have received is beyond any expectations of any school.

Congratulations to the staff at St. Mary’s who have worked together so well as a team supporting each other through many losses and complex cases, the Royal Brompton staff who create such a warm and supportive educational environment during the day and also jolly good fun at the Youth “Nite” Club.  To CW staff who despite the continuous changes and the growing number of students, ensure that all the i’s are dotted and the t’s crossed. And Collingham staff who remain full of enthusiasm and laughter despite the challenges which face them each day.  Perhaps some more support and understanding must be developed for those superb staff who work with children in isolation in the community, often dealing with extreme sadness, but always keeping the child’s intellectual development at the forefront of their teaching.

Welcome to Angela who will be an asset to the secondary department, although she is well known to the school as she has worked as a volunteer in our youth club for two years.  All our thanks to Sarah who is going on maternity leave very soon, and has left behind a very efficient and robust system for EHC plans. Good luck to Alison and Rachel in their future careers

Information Technology
Our information Technology system is developing with many great plans for the future and we are looking for an experienced IT person to support Fred in this ever expanding post.

Friends of Chelsea Community Hospital School
We are so fortunate to have the Friends of Chelsea Community Hospital School continuing to support us and raising money so that we can ensure that our students have support not just during term time but during the holidays.  Thank you to all of them.

Janette Steel 
Principal