At Woodbourne Hospital School, we support young people to successfully continue their learning and development during their time in inpatient care for mental ill health at Priory Woodbourne Hospital Birmingham.
Our mission is ‘to nurture confidence within learning so that our students feel more able to engage with their education and are ready for the next stage in their academic journey.’
We aim for our students to:
- Find out about their strengths, areas for development and about what they enjoy.
- Gain a better understanding of how they learn and where they want to go next.
- Feel safe and supported.
- Learn to take risks and be able to have a say in what they learn and how they learn.
Mental health conditions can have a significant impact on the life chances of our young people. Receiving specialist inpatient Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) treatment can be a positive turning point towards management and recovery for many, but the time spent out of school or college can have a detrimental effect on learning and progress.
Our aim is to support our students by providing continuous education; we believe education is an integral part of holistic wellbeing, acting as a springboard to build confidence and success later in life. High-quality, on-site school provision in a mental health setting is an essential part of a young person’s treatment programme. It promotes continuity, enhances emotional wellbeing, and underpins the smoothest reintegration possible to mainstream education.
“This hospital-based school provides a safe, nurturing place for students. They are able to continue with learning while getting the specialist clinical attention they need.” – Ofsted 2022
The school's focus on inclusion and diversity, its commitment to providing a safe and supportive environment and its dedicated staff all contribute to making the school a positive place for its students to learn and grow. We have been recognised as a Centre of Excellence by the Inclusive Quality Mark due to our effective practices and dedication to engage all students regardless of background, special educational needs or ability.
Our curriculum
Here at Woodbourne Hospital School, we have an outstanding track record in supporting young people. All young people are admitted to our school roll, including those who may be NEET on admission or become NEET during their stay.
We pride ourselves on our bespoke, individualised curriculum that we formulate for every student in collaboration with their home schools, parents and carers, and students’ own views and needs. Our 25-hour weekly timetable encompasses a broad curriculum covering a wide range of subjects including:
- English
- Maths
- Science
- Personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education
Our primary focus is on young people maintaining their home-school/college curriculum where appropriate. Contact is made with the home-school/college as soon as a young person is admitted to the ward and the relevant learning plans requested. We expect all young people to make equal if not better progress with their home-school/college learning whilst they are at our school. Simply, it is our duty to prepare our students to re-engage and reach their full potential.
The curriculum for each student is reviewed on a weekly basis. Staff take into consideration how well students have understood content and concepts in the previous week and how well a student is progressing in terms of their readiness to learn. This provides an opportunity to adapt their teaching as necessary.
As an examination host-centre, we support students whilst sitting their examinations along with our offer of completing Functional Skills, AQA Unit Award and ASDAN qualifications during their time with us.
What students say:
‘Thank you for helping me to care again. The excitement to learn and succeed was something that I thought I lost a long time ago.’
‘Thank you for the confidence you have helped me build up.’
‘When I got here, I thought I would not be able to sit my exams but with you guys’ help I managed to do some.’