Our School Offer

We benefit from exceptional outdoor spaces, including a Cruyff Court, trim-trail, swings, woodland area, sensory garden, horticulture area, and a farm zone with small animals. These facilities enrich curriculum delivery and are accessible for dedicated lessons, personal development, enrichment activities, and during breaks.

The outdoor facilities also allow pupils to explore, play and discover. The aim of the area are to help shape the resilience, confidence and self-esteem of pupils through hands on learning experiences.

For some young people with special educational needs a residential boarding placement can offer the right balance of education, support and stability that will then allow them to make rapid academic progress and develop socially.

The young person will attend the school as a day pupil, benefiting from the expertise and support we offer whilst the residential offer provides a warm and welcoming environment that allows for the development of positive relationships with peers and adults. The dedicated staff team create a family atmosphere where shared experiences provide opportunities for personal development and a sense of belonging.

Our young people live in our boarding houses and return to their home setting on a weekly, fortnightly or termly basis.

Our strong ethos and co-ordinated approach sees school and boarding staff work closely with parents and carers to enable each child or young person to develop into confident, independent and ambitious young adults.

The approach has a strong focus on enriching each young person’s social and communication skills which enables them to make friends, engage in new activities and experiences, and move forward with an ambition to discover and learn. The school and boarding staff teams both support and positively challenge each young person to widen their scope of life experiences and encourage them to experiment and undertake fresh challenge, which ultimately results in them improving their knowledge, skills and ability. Every pupil is guided by experienced and empathetic professionals who will be able to plan and adapt to ensure pupils achieve and succeed.

We aim to provide pupils with opportunities so that they can reach milestones in education and make progress with their emotional wellbeing and social development. The teaching, support and clinical staff team at Pontville School are an integral part of reaching this aim, as the expertise and drive of our professionals ensure pupils access a range of programmes so that they can flourish and enjoy learning in our inspiring environment.

For Year 11 pupils, the transition to further education, training, or employment is made easier through close support from the team, who deliver Independent Careers Advice and Guidance sessions to support young people in making decisions about their next steps with increased confidence and interest.

If a pupil decides to attend an external Post-16 provider, we will also contact the SEN coordinator to ensure that they are informed of any special arrangements or support that needs to be in place for the student. We will also ensure that all relevant supporting documents are shared to help with the transition to support the provider and student.

We have officially partnered with the Johan Cruyff Foundation, which was set up by one of the world’s greatest sporting icons. The aim of the organisation is to support and develop sports activities for children and young people all over the world. 

The school’s state of the art Cruyff Court, is an all-weather pitch which supports small group sports, including football, basketball, volleyball and netball, and an additional grassed field area. The aim of the space is where pupils can grow, make friends and improve their mental health. 

Pontville School’s 16-19 Centre is based in Skelmersdale, nine miles from the school site. The provision allows students to continue their education in a smaller, nurturing environment, where they choose from a range of progressive vocational and academic courses delivered in fully equipped classrooms, workshops and specialist teaching areas.

Courses include English, Maths (GCSE, Functional Skills, Entry Level), Catering, Ceramics (Entry Level/Level 1-2), Construction, Customer Service, Employability, Hair and Beauty, Independent Living Skills and Motor Vehicle Maintenance.

Students continue to study during the week and, if required, access therapy. At our 16-19 Centre, there is an emphasis on work-related learning alongside broader preparation for adulthood through PSHE lessons. In addition, they benefit from impartial career advice, work experience or voluntary placements, and the opportunity to complete the Duke of Edinburgh Award and the Sports Leaders Award.

Throughout the year, students take the lead in various enterprise activities. They collaborate to plan and run events, such as the Christmas market which bring together parents, carers, peers and friends.

Pontville School’s 16-19 Centre provides students with an opportunity to continue their education in a smaller, nurturing environment. Students can access both vocational and academic pathways, in line with their interests and strengths and the centre is fully equipped with classrooms, workshops and specialist teaching areas. Students continue to study across five days and also benefit from continued access to our therapy provisions should they need it. There is a continued focus on work-related learning alongside a wider preparation for adulthood.

All Post 16 students must select a progressive study route and can choose from a wide range of courses. Where pupils did not achieve a Grade 4 or above in English or Maths, they will continue to study those subjects and work towards a relevant qualification suited to their abilities.

The courses we offer at Post 16 currently include:
• GCSE Maths and English
• Level 3 Extended Project
• Access to HE
• Entry Level – Level 1/2 Customer Service, Construction, Hair and Beauty, Motor Vehicle Maintenance, Catering/Professional Cookery, Employability, Small Animal Care, Ceramics.

All Post 16 students also have access to PSHE and Preparation for Adulthood lessons as well as impartial careers guidance, work experience and voluntary work placements. Some students also choose to access Duke of Edinburgh Award, Sports Leaders Award and Independent Living Skills Diploma.

The Preparation for Adulthood toolkit, developed by the Department for Education, is used as a framework to support our students further as they prepare for adulthood. In the timetabled sessions, they work towards meeting the following objectives:

Employment skills - Crafting personalised CVs, students develop and practice interview techniques and explore skills needed in customer service, teamwork, effective communication, and problem-solving skills.

Independent living - By exploring budgeting, cooking, and time management, they develop a sense of financial responsibility and autonomy. We also offer travel training to help them develop their confidence and independence so that they can add to their ever-growing toolkit of life skills.

Community inclusion - Taking part in community activities enhances their social skills and emotional well-being. This network also contributes to keeping them safe outside school, as they witness communities often promote watchfulness and mutual care. Moreover, it brings awareness of the criminal justice system, educating our young people about legal responsibilities and consequences.

Health - Understanding the importance of personal well-being, including physical and mental health, contributes to a holistic approach to independent living. Students can also identify when to seek professional help from a GP.

By embracing the principles of independent living, students gain the confidence and resilience needed to transition successfully into adulthood, with a  sense of empowerment and self-reliance.

The 16-19 Centre also houses an independent living area that simulates a home environment, which is part of the programme. They also take responsibility for maintaining the upkeep of the centre by organising and cleaning, which further develops a sense of pride, confidence and independence.

We strongly believe in providing our students with opportunities to experience the world of work through our work experience programme. The students' experience working in a range of industries allows them to plan ahead and carve out a future for themselves in an area of interest.

We actively work on developing partnerships with local businesses through our Futures programme so that a range of industries are on offer. The opportunity to speak to leaders and inspiring entrepreneurs and experience the work environment provides them with the chance to develop their interpersonal skills as well as instil a sense of ambition and work ethic. This coupled with our approach in developing their social and emotional skills sets them up to become confident and resilient members of both the centre and their local communities.

Throughout the year, students lead enterprise activities. They plan, develop and work together to deliver events, such as the Christmas market, where parents, carers, pupils and staff come together to enjoy an evening of festive fun.

Before our students come to the end of their journey with us we work with them, their parents and carers and other agencies to ensure that the next steps of their journey into adulthood are confident and successful ones.

Planned transitions for each one of our students has resulted in them either continuing with education, pursuing apprenticeships or taking steps into the world of work.

Our care and keen interest in their success continues after they leave us. Our Family Liaison Officer contacts students and their families after a period of time to find out how they are doing on their new and exciting pathway into adulthood. If additional help and advice is required, they are signposted to professional services that can help them to continue with their journey.