Young Persons Guide to AHS Lower Site 2019

Young Persons Guide to AHS Lower Site 2019

To

Alderwasley Hall School

Updated September 2019

Welcome to

Alderwasley Hall School

It’s great to hear that you will be joining us shortly. We really hope that you enjoy being at the school and we want to make sure you are happy whilst you are here. This booklet will give you information which will help you settle in. It has information about daily routines, your bedroom and the staff who will look after you. If there are things that you want to find out that aren’t covered in the guide or if you do not understand any of the information, please ask a member of staff who will be happy to talk things through with you. Best wishes

KarenTatham Head of Care

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Contents

2 Welcome 3 Contents 4 About Alderwasley Hall School 5 KeyWorkers 6 Houses & bedrooms

7 Clothes 8 Washing 8 Activities 9 Activities & routines 10 Medication 11 Meals 12 Money 12 Religious beliefs

13 What you can bring to school 14 Contacting family & friends 14 Special Occasions 15 Keeping safe - fire alarms 16 Inclusion trips 16 House meetings 17 Making a complaint 18 Children’s Rights Service 18 IRO’s 19 Young peoples comments 20 Parents comments

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About Alderwasley Hall School

Alderwasley Hall School is near to the towns of Matlock and Belper in Derbyshire. It is set in the countryside but is not far away shops and leisure facilities. It is also close to an area of countryside calledThe Peak District where there are lots of opportunities for you to do outdoor activities.

The school is quite an old building so it looks quite grand. It used to be the home of an important Derbyshire family but was turned into a school a long time ago and since then it has had lots of modern facilities added on.

Your house will be based on the same site as the school so you will be close to school which will make it easier for you in the morning.

Alderwasley Hall School has another site called Alderwasley Hall School and Sixth Form—Upper Site, which is down the road. This is where young people who are aged from 15 years old study and live. Sometimes you will have lessons and activities at the Upper Site.

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What is a Key Worker and what do they do?

We want your stay to be happy, healthy and safe one. In your house there will always be a team of care staff to look after you, but you will also be given a KeyWorker. Your KeyWorker is a member of the care staff who is dedicated to making sure you are happy and healthy whilst you are with us.Your KeyWorker will spend time with you to discuss anything that is worrying you, they will help you with you school work and help you to achieve other targets you will be given. Your KeyWorker will talk to your Teacher andTherapists to make sure everything is OK for you. They will also help you to keep in touch with your family and friends and talk to your parents to let them know how you are getting on, arrange visits, and organise special occasions such as your birthday.

Your Key Worker is dedicated to making sure you are happy and healthy

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Which house will I live in? All of the houses at Alderwasley are within the school grounds. This means that getting to and from school is really easy for you. The

house chosen for you will be the one that staff and your parents feel best suits your age, abilities, interests and personality. They will then discuss this with you . Each house has a kitchen, lounge/dining area, bathroom and bedrooms. The houses on site are:

Griffin

Phoenix

Farm View

Pendleton

You will have your own bedroom which you can personalise with posters and pictures.You can bring your own bedding if you want to.You will also have your own wardrobe, cupboard, desk and locker which you will be given a key for.You will be responsible for keeping your bedroom tidy. What is my bedroom like?

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What clothes will I need?

When you are not at school you can wear your casual clothes. You will also need swimwear , white soled trainers/plimsolls/football boots and PE kit (no bikinis or hot pants) You will travel from building to building during the day and go on trips so it is important that you have a coat that is waterproof.

Points to note

 No slogan/pictures other than a small manufacturers logo

Minimal day make-up Jewellery



 Medical bracelet / medical necklace Earrings (studs only and should be plain and unobtrusive) 

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Who washes my clothes?

There is a laundry at the school where you can send all your dirty clothes.You will have a laundry basket in your room for you to put dirty clothes in. Each house also has its own washing machine. Staff will help you with

your laundry until you are confident enough to do it independently.

What activities can I do in the evening and at weekends ?

You will be able to get involved in a wide variety of activities. The school has a grassed play area for football.You will be able to use the schools computer room and music room in the evenings and at weekends.

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There are other sports facilities at Alderwasley Hall Sixth Form, these include an indoor swimming pool, squash court, a fitness gym, tennis courts and climbing wall. There are also lots of other clubs that you can go to; including a local youth club, local sports centre fitness clubs and cadets. If you have a hobby or pursuit which you would like to continue whilst you are at school just let staff know and they will help you do this. At weekends if you are not going home or going out with your family, you will have the opportunity to go on an organised trip out which is decided by all the young people in the house. There are also opportunities to do individual activities with support of the care staff. Examples of off site activities that you can enjoy over the year include; camping, youth hostelling, cycling and laser quest. We also go on trips to museums, zoos, theme parks, the seaside and theatre, as well as visiting local towns and enjoying the local countryside.

Daily Routines

Weekdays 7.30 - Time to get up 8.45 - Leave for education 15.30 - Return to house 16.00 - 17.00Tea time 17.00 - 19.30 Activities 19.30 - Supper 20.30 - 21.00 Room time

Weekend routines The routine at the weekend is a lot more relaxed. There will be trips arranged but you will also have free time to relax or do specific activities that you like

Daily routines are made as flexible as possible to suit your needs.

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Who looks after me if I am poorly or if I need to take medication? During the school day we have medically trained staff who you will see if you are feeling poorly. If you need to see a doctor this will be arranged and a member of staff will go with you. If necessary the doctor will come and see you in your house. Staff will come to your health appointment with you if you want them to but you can choose to go on your own if you wish. If you take any medicines you must make sure that you give these to a member of staff who will keep them locked away safely. If you take medicine that you need to keep with you please let a member of staff or the medically trained staff know.

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Mealtimes Monday to Friday you will eat breakfast, tea and supper in your house. Lunch will be served in the main school dining room. At the weekend you will prepare and eat meals within your house or you will eat out as part of a trip. You will be encouraged to help prepare meals with help from staff.

Mealtimes weekdays Breakfast 07.00 - 08.30 Evening Meal 16.00—17.00 Supper 19.30—20.00

Meal times Weekends Breakfast 07.30—10.00 Saturday evening meal 16.00 -17.15 Sunday lunch 12.30 –13.15

Sunday evening meal times are flexible and the meals are prepared by the young people and staff

Alderwasley Hall School is a nut free zone

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Who looks after my money?

In each house staff operate a banking system which we advise you to use, as it means that your money will be safe. A record is made whenever you put in or take money out of your account so you can keep track of how much you have. If you want to manage your own money we can provide a safe in your room. If you already have a bank or building society account, staff can help you access this.

I follow a religion; can I still do this whilst I am at school?

If you have religious beliefs and want to attend a place of worship we will support you to do this. You may have special days that you wish to observe or have a special diet or times to pray. Talk to your KeyWorker about these and they will support you.

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What can I bring to school? We want you to feel at home whilst you are at school, so we are happy for you to bring personal possessions from home.

You must look after your own possessions carefully so we would advise you not to bring very valuable or precious items to school. If you do bring valuables please store them in a safe place or give them to a member of staff to look after. You can bring computer games to school but they must be suitable for your age. Please let staff know if you bring any electrical equipment as they need to make sure they are tested to ensure they are safe. Make sure you put your name on all of your possessions to avoid mix ups with other young people’s things.

There are items that you must never bring to school with you these are:

Illegal drugs or legal highs



Alcohol



 Knives/weapons If you are found with any of these they will be taken away from you and your parents/carers will be told.

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How do I stay in contact with my Family and Friends? We will always help and encourage you to keep in regular contact with your family and friends. This could be by telephone, Skype, email or letter and we

will make sure you get phone calls and letters. There is a pay phone on each house that you can use. The phones also take incoming calls so your family and friends can call you. There is also a separate more private phone available on the ground floor in the main building.

HOUSE PAYPHONE NUMBERS Pendleton 01629 821 439 Phoenix 01629 821 430 FarmView 01629 821 430 Griffin 01629 821 418

Having visits on birthdays & special occasions

If you are at school when it is your birthday your Key Worker will organise a party supper and games. Your family will be invited, but if this is not possible we will make sure you receive presents and cards and you can speak to them on the phone.

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Help us to keep you safe and happy

Fire Register System

John IN

This system is used in case of a fire so staff know if you are in the building or not. When you join the house your name will be on the fire register.

Staff will fill in the fire register every night and take into their bedroom. If the fire alarm went off staff will take the register outside with them and tick everybody's names to make sure everyone is present and safe.

What should you do if the fire alarm sounds?

1.STOPWHATYOUARE DOING 2. Go straight to the nearest fire exit 3. Do not stop to collect any personal belongings 4. Walk to the fire assembly point, which will be directed by staff 5. Do not go back into the building until the senior member of staff tells you to

To make sure everyone knows what to do when the fire alarm goes off we have fire drills.Your key worker will talk to you about these.

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Inclusion trips

Some evenings during each term the houses will join together to go on different trips, they are a great way for you to spend time with other young people on different houses and make friends. Trips can include Laser Quest, swimming or roller skating.You can make suggestions for trips in house meetings.

House Meetings

Your meetings are an opportunity for you to discuss as a group things you are not happy about or tell everyone about something you have achieved or think is important.You might want to change, alter or add something to the menus or talk about possible activities—these meetings are for you to speak out.

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How do I make a complaint

If you are unhappy with something, we want to know. The Registered Manager will help you resolve any problems that you might have. You can tell us about your complaint by texting us on Tel: 07894568346 However, if your problem is more serious there is a procedure which we need to follow: All complaints will be fully investigated by the Registered Manager who will talk to you about what they have done to sort out your complaint within 5 working days. They will write a full report within 28 working days, but aim to conclude within 2 weeks. All complaints will be regarded as confidential. If you want an advocate to help please ask for one. Your independent advocate is Phil Williams. Phil can be contacted on Tel: 01629 532029 or email [email protected] An independent person called a mediator can be requested, if necessary to resolve a situation. If you are still not happy you have the right to ask Brian Lock, the SENAD Quality Assurance Manager to look into your complaint for you. Tel: 07872 501 965 If SENAD are unable to resolve this then you can make a complaint directly to: OFSTED, Piccadilly Gate, Store Street Manchester. M1 2WD TEL: 0300 12 312310

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Children’s Rights

Provides lots of ways for children in care to have your say. Their aim is to ensure that you have the information that you need to make decisions and to let people know your views and feelings. Contact the Children’s Rights Team on: Tel: 01629 532 029 or email: children’[email protected]

The Children’s Rights Service provide one-to-one advocates for children and young people in care who need support and to have their voices heard. They will visit you wherever you feel most comfortable and at a time which is

convenient to you, such as after school or at the weekend. Contact Rosie Key onTel: 01629 532029 or Tel: 07785 315922 Email [email protected]

Independent Reviewing Officers - IRO Local authorities are required to appoint Independent Reviewing Officers (IRO’s) to have independent oversight of the way that looked after children are being cared for. New guidance has been in operation since April 2011 in an attempt to strengthen the existing policy. Every Child or young person who is a ‘Looked After Child’ has to have their care arrangements reviewed regularly and independently by law. This is to make sure that their care plans are being followed and the child’s wishes and feelings are being taken into account. The Independent Reviewing Officer for your care will help you have your say. They will also help you contact an advocate if you are unhappy about your care. How to contact an IRO Caroline Riley, East Midlands Region Email: [email protected]

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Comments from young people

The staff really care for me.

I feel safe at AHS

I really enjoy being here

I trust the staff

The staff keep me safe

I miss my family but like it here too

Best bits about AHS? - The staff and the activities Worst bits about AHS? -

Everything is just great here

Having to leave every week

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Comments from Parents

He truly is turning into a remarkable young man. It takes a village to raise a child. I’m so grateful you are all part of his village.

I would just like to send you a massive thank you for all your support with my child since they started. You have all been fantastic. I have seen a huge difference especially on her good days and that's down to everyone at Alderwasley.

I can now see a future for my child which 6 months ago I couldn’t and that’s down to your hard work

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