Get in Touch

Principal & Main Contact: Helen Casson

Address: Torlands, Merrivale Road. Exeter. EX4 1PT. United Kingdom

Senior Administrator: Jenny Hollis

Phone: 01392 495437

Email: jhollis@wavemat.org

Opening Times: Mon - Fri: 0845 - 1530

About

Torlands is an academy that exists to provide education for pupils unable to attend school owing to medical reasons.

Wave believes that children and young people with health needs that impede their attendance at school should have access to high quality educational opportunities, with the expectation that they will be returning to school as soon as possible.

Torlands Academy is based at Merrivale, our centre in Exeter. We provide an education for students across the whole county who are not able to attend school owing to medical reasons.

Torlands would be not be a suitable provision for students whose difficulties with school attendance are related to their Special Educational Needs, unless they have a co morbid health condition. Pupils with an Educational Health Care Plan are supported at school with additional funding. If a pupil’s EHCP reflects long term health difficulties that are impeding their learning, further support should be requested through an interim review of their EHCP, rather than a referral to Torlands.

Students are dual registered with their mainstream school and with Torlands Academy. We offer a blended approach that can include: group learning at Merrivale, group live online learning and individual teaching. Our provision is personalised to meet the individual needs of our students. We work closely with students, families, schools and other agencies to ensure a smooth and effective transition back into mainstream education as health improves.

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!

Frances Harland

Medical Lead

Frances completed a degree in English Literature at Exeter University in 1988 and then worked for a literary agency specialising in foreign rights for English and American publishers in London. After moving to Devon in 1994, she undertook a PGCE in English at St Luke’s, Exeter University, before teaching in North Cornwall. Her interest in alternative provision stems from her experience of teaching a Year 11 student in outreach as they were not permitted to attend school on health grounds. In 2006, she began working in Devon with students unable to attend mainstream school for a range of complex reasons. She feels strongly about inclusion, and about meeting the needs of all young people, whatever their barriers to learning.

Clair Mason

Family Support Manager

Clair came into teaching after spending several years working as a qualified Veterinary Nurse in Devon. She returned to University to retrain as a teacher and on completion of her degree she then spent the next fifteen years teaching in secondary schools and delivering BTEC and HLTA training across Devon. She also spent several years working part time within the Social Care arena, working with young people and their families who were highly vulnerable due to homelessness, substance abuse and mental health needs. Whilst working with some challenging young people, she gained valuable experience of working with other agencies such as the Youth Offending Team, YSmart and CAMHS. She is a trained Thrive and ELSA practitioner. At home she likes to keep up with her daughter and take her Bavarian hound for long walks on the local beaches and woodlands.

Cath Marchant

SENCo

After graduating from University with a degree in Music Performance, Catherine spent a year as a freelance musician before going on to complete a PGCE in Primary Education. She then taught in Essex and Devon in Senior Management and SENCO roles. Catherine also completed a Level 3 Counselling qualification and is an expert in Early Years and the teaching of reading. In 2017 Catherine started teaching at a special school on Dartmoor and in 2018 began working with WAVE. As SENCO Catherine is strongly committed to working alongside staff and families to help improve the life chances and mental well-being of students. She also teaches Mathematics and English on days without a SENCO timetable. Outside work Catherine enjoys reading, listening to music of all genres and spending time with her young family.

Academy Info

Academy Information

Display:

Torlands Spring Newsletter 2019

Torlands Summer Newsletter 2019

Curriculum

Our individualised curriculum is designed to ensure that pupils’ health does not adversely affect their education. Progress is monitored carefully and targets are designed to challenge and provide opportunity for progression back into mainstream.

All students’ baseline levels of English, Maths and Science are assessed when they join Torlands. These baselines are used in conjunction with the data that is given to us by their mainstream school to ensure that work is provided for them at the correct level.

Reading and spelling tests are also completed on entry and a literacy support programme is put in place to support students if required.

Learning Support Mentors and Family Support workers work closely with teachers to provide a range of support, including home visits. This includes literacy and numeracy intervention, exam practice, dyslexia support and life skills.

Appendix_A_Offer.pdf

Key stage 1 and 2

Working closely with schools, we offer Maths, English, Science, Art and Cookery. We also support additional subjects if required by the school. We use phonics schemes such as Read Write Inc., Letters and Sounds, Jolly Phonics, Oxford Owl and Nessy. We also offer Literacy support to students with low reading and spelling ages.

KEY STAGE 3

We offer Maths, English and Science. We also teach Art, Design Technology, Forest School and Cookery where appropriate. As with Key Stage 2, we offer additional subjects where necessary with close communication with the school. We also offer Literacy support to students with low reading and spelling ages.

KEY STAGE 4

At Key stage 4 a GCSE package for students can include: Maths, English Language, English Literature, Science, Art and History or Psychology. Some students also complete a BTEC Level 1 Award in Home Cooking Skills. Our offer is through a blended use of group lessons at Merrivale, live online lessons and individual teaching. Additional support can be given by our Learning Support Mentors. Other GCSE subjects may be offered and supported by students’ mainstream schools.

Subject Areas

ENGLISH - KEY STAGE 2 & 3

Students referred into Torlands have access to English lessons within the framework of the National Curriculum for English. A personalised approach to learning is established which enables learning to be matched to the individual needs of pupils as far as practical, in accordance with pupils’ particular health and medical needs. Liaison with pupils’ mainstream schools provides support for English learning programmes. Regular ongoing formative assessment opportunities help to inform planning.

MATHS - KEY STAGE 2 & 3

At Key Stage 2 and 3 we support students by developing their mathematical skills in a way which encourages confidence as well as providing satisfaction and enjoyment. It is our view that Maths is for everyone. It is diverse, engaging and essential in equipping students with skills for their future, whatever that may be. We support students to engage with, explore, enjoy and succeed in Maths. All students have the opportunity to follow a tailored programme that enables them to be numerate and builds on what they already know. Lessons encourage students to: • consolidate their understanding of Mathematics • be confident in their use of Number and Mathematics • extend their use of mathematical vocabulary, definitions and formal reasoning • develop the confidence to use Number and Mathematics to tackle problems in everyday life • develop an ability to think and reason mathematically • make connections between different areas of Mathematics • develop a firm foundation for appropriate further study at KS4 and beyond

SCIENCE - KEY STAGE 2 & 3

Science is an integral part of understanding how the world works and how the choices we make influence it in both positive and negative ways. KS2 and 3 science lessons will develop knowledge and understanding of Biology, Chemistry and Physics topics, as well as developing student’s data handling and investigative skills through safe scientific practicals whenever possible. Student will also be taught to apply knowledge to new situations, analyse data and draw conclusions. Students will also be guided to review and improve their own work in order to build presentation, literacy and numeracy skills. In KS3 students will, if possible, follow the science curriculum their mainstream schools follow in order to aid reintegration. For those where this is not appropriate or possible, our science teachers will teach science using the AQA KS3 scheme of work. Science will be taught through 10 big ideas: Forces, Electromagnets, Energy, Waves, Matter, Reactions, earth, Organisms, Ecosystems and Genes.

ENGLISH - KEY STAGE 4

At Key Stage 4, all students will study GCSE English Language. GCSE English Literature is taught alongside English Language for students who are well enough to access both courses, depending on their health needs, in liaison with their referring school. Programmes of study will be adapted to meet each individual’s needs, taking into account the amount of time they have with us.

GCSE ENGLISH LANGUAGE - KEY STAGE 4

Students study AQA 8700 specification, which offers a skills-based approach to the study of English Language in an un-tiered context. Questions are designed to take students on an assessment journey through lower tariff tasks to more extended responses. The specification offers the attraction of two equally-balanced papers, relating reading sources to the topic and theme of writing tasks. The reading sources act as stimulus for writing tasks, providing students with a clear route through each paper. Each paper has a distinct identity to better support high quality provision and engaging teaching and learning. Paper 1, Explorations in Creative Reading and Writing, looks at how writers use narrative and descriptive techniques to engage the interest of readers. Paper 2, Writers’ Viewpoints and Perspectives, looks at how different writers present a similar topic over time. We also complete the Spoken Language Assessment which covers the Speaking and Listening element of the GCSE.

GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE - KEY STAGE 4

Students study the AQA 8702 specification. The specification takes a skills-based approach to the study of English Literature that is consistent across the genres. The question papers and mark schemes allow teachers to return to inspirational literature teaching, and allow students of all abilities to achieve their best on every question. The texts we currently study are Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestly, A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, and the AQA Power and Conflict Poetry Cluster.

MATHS - KEY STAGE 4

We study the AQA 8300 specification. GCSE Mathematics has a Foundation tier (grades 1 – 5) and a Higher tier (grades 4 – 9). Students must take three question papers at the same tier. All question papers must be taken in the same series, and topics covered will include: 1. Number 2. Algebra 3. Ratio, proportion and rates of change 4. Geometry and measures 5. Probability 6. Statistics.

GCSE COMBINED SCIENCE - KEY STAGE 4

We follow the AQA specification – 8464. There are six papers: two Biology, two Chemistry and two Physics. Each of the papers will assess knowledge and understanding from distinct topic areas. Biology: 1. Cell biology 2. Organisation 3. Infection and response 4. Bioenergetics 5. Homeostasis and response 6. Inheritance, variation and evolution 7. Ecology. Chemistry: 8. Atomic structure and the periodic table 9. Bonding, structure, and the properties of matter 10. Quantitative chemistry 11. Chemical changes 12. Energy changes 13. The rate and extent of chemical change 14. Organic chemistry 15. Chemical analysis 16. Chemistry of the atmosphere 17. Using resources Physics: 18. Energy 19. Electricity 20. Particle model of matter 21. Atomic structure 22. Forces 23. Waves 24. Magnetism and electromagnets

Referrals

Torlands is an interim provision for children who are unable to attend school for medical reasons. We aim to reintegrate all pupils at the earliest opportunity.

For a pupil to be considered for Torlands, they will need to be referred to the Inclusion Team at Devon County Council by a relevant medical professional, and by their registered mainstream school. Relevant medical Professionals include:
• Member of Community Paediatrician Team
• Hospital Consultant
• Clinical Psychologist
• Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist
• CAMHS Senior Practitioner

Referral forms can be found at:

Referral Form