About
Sowenna
In line with Sowenna’s shared values, Sowenna Education provides a safe and nurturing environment steeped in a culture of acceptance, curiosity, empathy and playfulness. Young people, families and staff can expect to feel listened to and have their needs validated and understood. Through trusting relationships the highest quality, evidence based care will aim to promote resilience, inclusion and confidence, to support young people to go on to live their best lives.
We provide a creative, innovative and high quality, fully personalised, bespoke educational package that meets the needs of the individual. Education is developed in partnership with the clinical team in the first instance and then with the young person and their School or College.
The Sowenna education offer has been developed in coordination with the National Association for Hospital Education. The aims of which are: To secure outstanding standards of education for children and young people. To actively promote children and young people’s entitlement to high quality educational opportunities. To raise the standards of education for children and young people who are temporarily or permanently disadvantaged by illness or other medical or mental health condition.
The Education Suite
The Education Suite housed in Sowenna contains a number of rooms from which the education offer will be delivered.
Main education room with direct access to the central courtyard area which will ensure students have access to a secure outside space and opportunity for outside education activities.
Activities of Daily Living area (kitchen) and wet area will support cooking and wet activities
Music Room offering access to both classical and digital music through traditional instruments and computer based production.
Activity Room and Resource Room are generic rooms that can be set up based on activity/need.
Sensory/quiet/calm room with systems for viewing of electronic media or low sensory images and music
Gym with a range of fitness equipment
Outdoor activity barn offering semi-open covered outdoor space with astro turf floor
Staff
Helen Casson
Executive Principal
After graduating from the University of East Anglia in PsychoSocial studies, Helen completed her PGCE at Sheffield Hallam University. She then taught in Sheffield for a few years before moving to an inner London school as Assistant Headteacher, leading on student and staff wellbeing. After a move to Cornwall in 2011, Helen became Deputy Headteacher at Looe Community Academy. Helen is a trained SENCo and a Thrive practitioner and is passionate about ensuring the needs of all young people are met. Helen sat on our Wave MAT board for number of years before joining the Wave team. Outside of school Helen and her family enjoy exploring Cornwall in their rusty VW camper and bright orange beetle!
Jayne Brigg
Head of Education and SENCo
Jayne has been teaching across mainstream Primary and 2-19 SEN for over 20 years. Originally from Cumbria, Jayne completed her degree and PGCE in York and having taught in Yorkshire for 5 years, moved to Cornwall in 2003. Jayne has an interest and specialist training in complex autism, AAC and Behaviours that Challenge and joined WAVE having taught nurture groups at Pencalenick School - Truro and most recently as Assistant Headteacher at Doubletrees School - St Austell. Jayne is committed to working in partnership with the NHS to make a positive difference to the lives of young people through meaningful and quality educational experiences. Jayne feels privileged to lead the Sowenna Education Team and knows this 'first' for Cornwall will be fundamental in changing lives for the better.
Jonathan King
Teacher
Jonathan has been teaching personalised education packages to young people with a range of challenging behaviour and complex needs since 2010. He began his working life as a civil engineer but made the switch to working in education which lead to him becoming qualified as a mathematics teacher through Nottingham University in 2011. Jonathan has experience teaching mathematics in mainstream secondary school and alternative education provision settings throughout Nottinghamshire. He spent three years as a mathematics subject lead at R.E.A.L Independent Schools and more recently became part of the senior leadership team as a learning manager for R.E.A.L Alternative Provision School. Jonathan moved to Cornwall in 2019 -coinciding with the opening of Sowenna – and is committed to making a positive impact in the lives of young people as part of the education team.
Julie Williams
HLTA
Julie is originally from Devon, she moved to Cornwall in 2007 where she worked as a TA at Doubletrees SEN school for ten years. Prior to working in Education she worked with adolescents in care for around five years as a residential carer / professional parent. Julie has been part of the behaviour team and her interest has been in functions of behaviour. Recently Julie became a TIS practitioner.
Our Curriculum at Sowenna
The holistic education provision for Sowenna is based on a six term model, reducing the extended ‘Summer holiday’ period from six to four weeks.
A comprehensive alternative curriculum (academic and enrichment) is delivered during holiday times by suitably qualified staff based on individual interest and needs.
The curriculum is broad, balanced, creative and structured. All subjects will be offered at all Key Stages including additional accredited courses including Arts Award and Duke of Edinburgh.
Post 16 students who do not have the required qualifications to go on to further education will have access to qualifications in Maths and English and Life Skills.
The Head of Education, specialist teacher and Higher Level Teaching Assistants will facilitate learning in all subject areas supported by schools, the CHES Raising Standards Leads and subject specialist teachers from CHES.
The Education Suite
The Education Suite housed in Sowenna contains a number of rooms from which the education offer will be delivered.
Main education room with direct access to the central courtyard area which will ensure students have access to a secure outside space and opportunity for outside education activities.
Activities of Daily Living area (kitchen) and wet area will support cooking and wet activities
Music Room offering access to both classical and digital music through traditional instruments and computer based production.
Activity Room and Resource Room are generic rooms that can be set up based on activity/need.
Sensory/quiet/calm room with systems for viewing of electronic media or low sensory images and music
Gym with a range of fitness equipment
Voice of Young Person
Where appropriate, a representative from the Education team will attend the Sowenna Young People’s board meeting once a month to gain feedback and thought on provision and curriculum.
Each week there will be a scheduled hour on the timetable to hear the young person’s voice (“Have your say”)
Documents
Latest News
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Wave Pupils Enjoy Arts and Crafts Success in the South West
24th April 2020
Staff at Wave Trust’s academies in Cornwall and Devon are rightly proud of the artistic achievements of their pupils. Last year talented young artist Tegan Rowe won first prize for ...
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Coronavirus Advice
26th February 2020
Helpline launched to answer questions about COVID-19 related to education
The Department for Education has launched a new helpline to answer questions about COVID-19 related to ed...
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Wave Trust’s Medical Education Services
31st January 2020
When Cornwall’s outstanding Community and Hospital Education Service (CHES) was originally set up to provide education for children who are unable to attend school for medical rea...
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Sowenna’s education team prepare to welcome first students
9th September 2019
As Sowenna, Cornwall’s new 14 bed child and adolescent mental health unit in Bodmin, gets ready to open its doors, staff from Wave Multi Academy Trust are putting the finishing t...
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Sowenna - a new adolescent mental health unit - opening summer 2019
Outstanding Wave Multi Academy Trust to provide education services for new adolescent mental health unit.
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