Learning

RNIB Sunshine House School, Northwood

Summary: Details of RNIB Sunshine House School, Northwood - non maintained special school for children who are blind or partially sighted with multiple disabilities.

• Facilities
• Pupils
• Curriculum
• Therapy and health
• Attendance and admissions
• Residence
• The family
• Contact us
• Fundraise for Northwood

---

Facilities

RNIB Sunshine House School is situated in spacious and pleasant well-kept grounds, an environment designed and adapted specifically to meet the needs of children with complex/multiple disabilities who are blind or partially sighted.

Our specialist environment has excellent lighting levels that pays attention to individual lighting needs, using colour contrast. We ensure that the environment is safe and uncluttered and we keep noise levels and distractions to a minimum.

Our exceptional facilities include:

• A sensory garden designed to stimulate the senses
• A sensory playground, with interactive musical instruments and an interactive fountain
• Hydrotherapy pool
• Physiotherapy room
• Soft play room
• Library
• A range of outdoor activities, including horseriding
• Residential accommodation
• Recently refurbished classrooms and bedrooms
• Visual training areas in every classroom

Pupils

Our pupils are children with complex/multiple disabilities who are blind or partially sighted. Every pupil at RNIB Sunshine House School is treated as an individual and specific programmes are developed to meet their needs. We actively promote the five outcomes of the Every Child Matters agenda.

Our pupils range from 2-11 years and our class sizes are no more than eight. The ratio of adults to pupils in school is one adult to two pupils. There are many opportunities for one-to-one work as the ratio is increased with our use of the multi-disciplinary team, students and volunteers.

Provision for children under five

Children at nursery or reception age attend the school on a part time or full time basis. RNIB Sunshine House School offers a spacious and well-equipped Early Years Centre with its own outdoor play area. All of the school’s facilities are easily accessible from the Early Years Centre and frequently used by the very young children.

Come and meet us - arrange a visit

The school encourages parents and carers to come and see the excellent services RNIB Sunshine House School can offer. Whenever possible, staff would like to meet parents / carers and their child.

Curriculum

Our broad and balanced curriculum includes the development of skills needed by children with complex/multiple disabilities who are blind or partially sighted and promotes the five outcomes of Every Child Matters.

The whole school meets together regularly for assembly, school celebrations and special events. Children are given opportunities to take part in activities that take account of their race, culture, language, religion and interests. Cultural and religious festivals are celebrated across the school.

We follow a skills-based developmental curriculum that ensures that each child develops at their own level and pace. Each pupil has an Individual Education Plan, that is agreed with parents, which focuses on specific targets that are a priority for the child that term. The targets on the Individual Education Plan are drawn from the skills-based curriculum and are set and monitored with the multi-disciplinary team on a term-by-term basis.

Alongside the skills-based curriculum, we teach the National Curriculum through a wide range of differentiated experiential activities.

Teachers, therapists, teaching assistants and social care workers are all involved in delivering the curriculum and evaluating the needs and progress of the children

Therapy and health

The school employs its own experienced therapists who work with the children in ‘hands-on’ sessions. They also provide training programmes for school staff which ensures that therapy is undertaken every day as appropriate to the needs of the child. All of our therapists are extremely experienced in working with children with complex/multiple disabilities who are blind or partially sighted.

The school also employs a paediatric nurse to work with the children and provide training for staff in order that their medical needs are met. These include Enteral feeding, Epilepsy Management and a range of other health care needs.

We have:

• a speech and language therapist and a speech and language therapy assistant
• two physiotherapists and a physiotherapy assistant
• an occupational therapist
• a mobility officer
• a school nurse

Attendance and admissions

Primary-age day pupils usually attend for 5 days a week. Occasionally a pupil may attend on a negotiated part-time basis and attend another school for the rest of the week.

Pupils in the Early Years usually start school on a part-time basis and increase to full time attendance when they are 5 years old.

Residence is available for one, two, three or four nights each week Monday to Thursday, term time only.

The school is open for 38 weeks each year and follows conventional school terms, similar to those of schools in the surrounding area.

Terms dates for 2007-2008

Autumn: 5 September to 20 December 2007
Spring: 7 January to 4 April 2008 (closed Easter weekend)
Summer: 22 April to 24 July 2008

Admission criteria

The school provides for boys and girls aged two to eleven years who have complex/multiple disabilities and are blind or partially sighted.

Admission procedure

If appropriate, the child’s Local Authority will apply for a place and name the school on the child’s Statement of Special Educational Needs, agreeing attendance patterns with the school.

Most placements are Local Authority funded, although occasionally a pupil will be funded privately following direct liaison with the school.

Alternatively, a short-term assessment placement is sometimes arranged with, and funded by, the Local Authority. The school’s staff team contribute to a multi-disciplinary report leading to the publication of the Statement of Special Educational Needs by the Local Authority.

Assessments

The school offers a free multi-professional assessment. This provides parents with the opportunity to see staff working with their child, to find out more information about their child’s abilities, and often supports them in making a decision about the child's educational placement.

Residence

The school’s on-site residential accommodation is arranged as two homely flats that can accommodate up to six children each.

Evening activities

A full programme of evening activities is arranged. Children sometimes go out to tea, go shopping, play games, relax and talk to their parents on the phone. They also use the school’s facilities, such as the soft play room, the library, the hall, the hydrotherapy pool, the sensory garden, and the playground

24hour curriculum

Children who stay overnight benefit from the school’s 24-hour curriculum. This means that their Individual Education Plan is followed through to the evening in a relaxed, informal environment. For some children, having help with areas of their development out of school hours from experienced staff, and with an appropriate peer group, can make a big difference.

Staffing

Staffing in residence provides a minimum of one adult to 1.5 resident pupils during ‘waking’ hours. There are two Night Carers who look after the needs of the children throughout each night.

The family

RNIB Sunshine House School provides ‘Family Services’ as support for families of children who are blind or partially sighted, including those with complex/multiple disabilities. Children do not have to attend the school to use the services. Family Services are available throughout the school year and also during school holidays.

Parent groups

Parents have the opportunity to share their joys, concerns and experiences with other parents in structured sessions facilitated by our professional staff. A crèche is available to keep children entertained during the sessions.

Stay and play sessions

Children and parents together join the literacy, music, play and creative art sessions with the pupils of the Early Years group – a great opportunity for you to find out more about our school and our children.

Siblings club

Regular outings and events are held each year for brothers and sisters of the children who use our services.

Grandparents' day

At least once a year we hold a day that is solely for the benefit of grandparents, giving them the opportunity to exchange information and to share experiences and concerns.

Weekend family breaks

Every year we organise a weekend break for the whole family, including siblings. School staff are on hand to make sure all the family gets maximum enjoyment from the trip.

Holiday drop-in

The whole family is welcome to come along to our drop in days during the school holidays. These days include the use of the hydrotherapy pool in the morning and an organised activity in the afternoon.

Swimming

Enjoy the weekly sessions in our heated hydrotherapy pool and take advantage of the expert support and advice of our physiotherapist. There is also a light and sound system to stimulate or relax the children while they are in the pool.

Resource Library

Our resource library contains a wide range of toys, books and equipment for families to take away and try out.

Online shop

Visit RNIB’s online shop for a full range of toys, books, audio products and a range of equipment all here to help. The Multidisciplinary Staff Team

Who we are

At RNIB Sunshine House School we have a high staff to pupil ratio. We support the training and professional development of all staff so we can continue to meet the present and future needs of children and their families.

Staffing as at January 2007:

• Headteacher
• Acting Deputy Head
• Head of Care
• Finance & Premises Manager
• Teachers (qualified teachers of the visually impaired)
• School Nurse
• Mobility Officer
• Physiotherapists and Physiotherapy Assistant
• Occupational Therapist
• Speech & Language Therapist (SaLT) and SaLT Assistant
• Teaching Assistants
• Social Care Workers
• Ancillary staff
• Family Services Co-ordinator

Keeping in touch

Close contact with parents and carers is maintained, and parents are encouraged to keep in contact with staff. Home/school liaison books are used regularly for all children between home, school and residence. Parents and carers are involved in all aspects of school life, both formally and informally - contributing to plans for their child’s development and meeting the staff at special events for families.

Contact us

RNIB Sunshine House School
33 Dene Road
Northwood
Middlesex
HA6 2DD
Telephone 01923 82 25 38

Download a map of Sunshine House School (Word 95KB)

Finding us by road

We may be reached via the A404, from London or from Rickmansworth. Dene Road is a private residential road which joins the A404. If using the M25, exit at junction 18 and take the A404 around Rickmansworth to Northwood.

Finding us by tube

Northwood underground station is on the Watford branch of the Metropolitan line and tube trains leave Baker Street every 20 minutes. The school is about a ten minute walk from the station.

Fundraise for Northwood

If you would like to fundraise for RNIB Sunshine House School and other RNIB community services please contact Martin Harris, Community Fundraising Manager on 020 7391 2066 or email fundraising@rnib.org.uk

RNIB schools and colleges list

Content author: lstewart@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 22/07/2008 10:47