Ivel Valley School & College

All pupils have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP).

“All of the children and young people at Ivel Valley School have an Education, Health and Care Plan. (EHCP)”

The school and college has a curriculum lead for complex learning difficulties and disabilities.

“- Emilie Smith – Complex Learning Difficulties & Disabilities”

Roger Williams serves as Deputy Safeguarding Lead and coordinates pastoral support, careers and accreditations.

“Roger is the Deputy Safeguarding lead and co-ordinates the Careers Programme, Pastoral Support and Accreditations.”

Personal, social and emotional development and life skills are prime curriculum areas from Early Years through Key Stage 5.

“The Early Years to Key Stage 5 curriculum places an emphasis on developing skills and knowledge within four prime areas: - Communication & Language - Personal, Social and Emotional Development - Physical Development - Life and Living skills”

The curriculum emphasizes functional Maths, English and Digital Skills rather than GCSEs.

“We do not offer GCSEs, which tend to focus on the more theoretical aspects of learning, but rather functional skills in Maths, English and Digital Skills through [Pearson Qualifications](https://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-functional-skills.html):”

The school offers the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award, which all students may experience and choose to complete; Silver and Gold are not offered.

“We offer the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award. All students are able to experience what the Duke of Edinburgh is like and can choose to complete the award. Unfortunately, we do not offer DofE Awards in Silver & Gold.”

Learners practise functional skills through community activity, enterprise projects and events for external businesses.

“The functional aspect of learning in these subjects is practised in real life situations from day to day as our learners engage in a very active curriculum that sees them involved in the community throughout each week in activities such as travel training, shopping, eating out, supporting local groups, enterprise projects and hosting events for external businesses.”

Accreditations are intended to support progression and develop functional skills for everyday life.

“At Ivel Valley School & College we have made the decision to invest time and resources into offering accreditations that not only support our students’ pathways into further education, employment or training, but also develop the functional skills necessary for everyday life.”

KS4 promotes academic, personal and social development alongside independence and preparation for adulthood.

“In Key Stage 4 we encourage students to reach their full potential, academically and in their personal and social development. We encourage independence in the preparation for adulthood.”

Learners can progress through qualification levels in Key Stage 5 at the college site until the end of Year 14.

“We have a broad and well sequenced curriculum that equips our learners such that they are typically ready to sit exams in these subjects in Key Stage 4 and continue to progress up the levels in Key Stage 5 at our college site until they leave us at the end of Year 14.”

The school provides education through Key Stage 5, led by Lynn Hawkins.

“- [Key Stage 5:](https://www.ivelvalley.beds.sch.uk/our-college/college-curriculum/) Led by Lynn Hawkins”

Special-school admissions are managed centrally by the Central Bedfordshire Council SEND Team.

“Admissions to special schools are managed by the Central Bedfordshire Council SEND Team, who manage admissions centrally (Telephone: 0300 300 8356).”

Prospective pupils and families can tour the school, including at parent and carer look-around evenings.

“If you would like to come to one of our parent and carer look around evenings, please contact the admin team on 01767 601010.”

Most students gaining these qualifications progress to further education at North Herts College or Bedford College.

“Most of our students who gain these qualifications with us will move onto further education at either [North Herts College](https://www.nhc.ac.uk/) or [Bedford College](https://bedfordcollegegroup.ac.uk/colleges-and-campuses/bedford-college/) where a range of courses are available to cater for all qualification levels, including pre-entry (in the case of NHC) where they can continue with Maths and English.”

All eight pupils included in the destination measure stayed in education or employment for at least two terms after Key Stage 4, compared with 95% locally and 94% nationally.

“| Pupils staying in education or employment for at least 2 terms after key stage 4 | 100% | 95% | 94% | | Total number of pupils included in destination measures | 8 | 2589 | 528139 |”

The September 2023 Ofsted inspection found that Ivel Valley remained a good school.

“Our last Ofsted inspection (Sept 2023) found that we remained a good school and one that is committed to establishing itself as a ‘Centre of Excellence’.”

The school says national standard tests reported on the government performance website do not apply to its learners.

“Ivel Valley’s published school performance information is available on the government’s school performance website but only reports on national standard tests, which does not apply to our learners.”