January Newsletter
Chances - The Alternative Provision That Works!
Chances has had a very positive first term, for the 2022/23 academic year. There continues to be a real drive to ensure that the students in our care are looked after and feel safe. Staff create positive relationships and this helps with their behaviour.
This year Chances has developed its curriculum to be as broad and balanced as possible, supporting as many children in as many ways as possible. We have always tried to provide as many activities outside of the traditional curriculum to help students grow as we believe that school trips provide a great opportunity for students to gain new experiences and face a range of challenges that can contribute significantly to their personal development. This year we have provided many more opportunities than ever before, including educational visits to local farm, hiking on Dartmoor, a visit to Dartmoor zoo and weekly wellbeing walks on Holden Hill.
We often have children who have not been allowed on their recent school trips with their mainstream schools but we believe these experiences can make a major contribution to developing their skills. Developing confidence to deal with different social situations in the public whilst also improving their education and reigniting their self belief are at the core of our decision to make trips a regular part of our curriculum.
The 2022 year ended with our traditional school Christmas dinner, where the students prepared and cooked a wonderful, traditional 3 course meal which was enjoyed by all!
Read on to discover how we can support you and your students.
Kind regards,
Gary Hayes
Could you be our new school governor?
Ever had an idea for the school and not known how to raise it? Becoming a governor gives you a chance to influence areas that matter to you and the children in your life or the local community. Part of the role of a governor is to be a 'critical friend,' supporting the school but also challenging it and holding it accountable. Governors get to have a say in just about every aspect of how the school is run – from how much homework children get to the way bullying is handled – you'll be empowered to challenge decisions and offer your own viewpoint.
Find out more and apply
Chances Roadmap
At Chances the main aim is to work with students and return them back into mainstream education as quickly as possible. It's why we focus purely on early intervention and supporting your students at an early stage as possible.
It's also why our curriculum comprises all learning and other experiences that their mainstream school plans for its students. We want their experience to be as close to that of a mainstream school as possible so that when they return to school there isn't a huge period of readjustment.
We work with our partner schools to share the learning that they want the students to undertake and create individual learning plans. There remains a full timetable of lessons with high expectations of what your students can achieve!
Chances is unique, there is not any other provision like us! We focus purely on early intervention and refrain from moving away from what has made us so successful. There remains a strong focus on attracting the ‘right’ students who we can support and help. As an early intervention provision our aim of reintegrating young people back into a mainstream setting can not be forgotten. From the initial contact a school makes to their return back into school we have planned every step on their journey!
