@Caldicot_Sch
https://twitter.com/Caldicot_Sch/status/1772371291552502224

21:13 PM - 25 Mar 2024

Brilliant sunshine for a brilliant first day of skiing.Our beginners made fantastic progress, with many starting to tackle gradual turns. More experienced skiers travelled up the mountain and got some good runs in too. Looking forward to resuming lessons tomorrow pic.twitter.com/Jy2hzHWT44

08:14 AM - 25 Mar 2024

Yesterday we visited the Gulfoss Waterfalls and got to witness an active Geyser. We had lunch in a beautiful family run tomato greenhouse followed by a drive across tectonic plate boundaries into the rift valley at Thingvellir National Park. Can’t wait for today’s adventures! pic.twitter.com/sEyInerrHC

https://twitter.com/Caldicot_Sch/status/1772003142663655453

20:50 PM - 24 Mar 2024

Our skiers have now arrived safely at Artesina. Since then we have found our rooms, unpacked, enjoyed an evening meal and been fitted for skis! All ready for bed now after our long journey and looking forward to hitting the slopes tomorrow ⛷️ pic.twitter.com/xbcF9dvq8q

https://twitter.com/Caldicot_Sch/status/1771825632776794258

09:05 AM - 24 Mar 2024

Nous sommes arrivés en France! 🇫🇷 Arrived at Calais just after 1am and have just made a pitstop for some fresh French pastries and breakfast. 🥐 Making steady progress to arrive at Artesina this afternoon 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/2JsmyYQ6IA

https://twitter.com/Caldicot_Sch/status/1771437301341516189

07:22 AM - 23 Mar 2024

Here we go... pic.twitter.com/SOFa7fUqbS

11:03 AM - 18 Mar 2024

Both teams did well to win cups. Caldicoders Team 1 robot score was fantastic at 320 points and over 100 points better than the next competitor. https://t.co/6Sc0l6t5ws pic.twitter.com/V80t4A8bg4

https://twitter.com/Caldicot_Sch/status/1769680867494867098

11:02 AM - 18 Mar 2024

We are proud to accept a Best Practice award from pic.twitter.com/A4FFaGJ0kU

17:43 PM - 11 Mar 2024

Some of the awesome photographs from our year 12/13 trip to CERN. (See thread) pic.twitter.com/QRgm7F3VSe

https://twitter.com/CaldicotScience/status/1767183455429795984

13:39 PM - 11 Mar 2024

Some of the awesome photographs from our year 12/13 trip to CERN. (See thread) pic.twitter.com/QRgm7F3VSe

https://twitter.com/caldicot_school/status/1766941507515191310

21:37 PM - 10 Mar 2024

Both teams did well to win cups. Caldicoders Team 1 robot score was fantastic at 320 points and over 100 points better than the next competitor. https://t.co/6Sc0l6t5ws pic.twitter.com/V80t4A8bg4

The Nurcombe Centre

The Nurcombe Centre is our specialist provision at Caldicot School, which supports students aged 11-19 with a variety of complex needs. These include severe learning difficulties, Autism Spectrum Disorder and other significant barriers to learning. It also includes our alternative provision, for those very few students who struggle with  a mainstream curriculum and would benefit from a less traditional model.

Our provision provides support to small group learning across the whole curriculum. These groups are arranged by 'stage of learning' rather than age, based on social communicative ability. This is in order to create and nurture the best possible environment for our students to thrive. High staff to student ratios ensure we are able to maintain a caring atmosphere.

The curriculum has been designed to incorporate high quality teaching from specialist teachers, as well as allowing students opportunities to participate in vocational activities and incorporate their own interests into their learning both in and outside the classroom. We seek to maintain a person centred ethos for all out students and provide meaningful opportunities for students develop the independent skills to prepare them for adulthood.

Curriculum Overview
The resource base provides a thematic approach to the delivery of the curriculum to students, which covers the four core purposes of the new curriculum in being developed in Wales. These form the starting point for all decisions on the content and educational experiences to support our students to be

  • ambitious, capable learners ready to learn throughout their lives;
  • enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work;
  • ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world; and
  • healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society            

At key stage 4, the majority of our students pursue Entry Level courses with bespoke arrangements made to ensure special interests and talents are catered for wherever possible. Despite having its own designated facilities, students with the resource base receive opportunities to access specialist areas throughout the school, wherever appropriate for them.

Students at key stage 4 receive guidance from a specialist ALN Careers Advisor from Careers Wales, who supports them in the transition to the workplace or continuing life-long learning. In addition, staff at the resource base liaise closely with the ALN support teams at Coleg Gwent at their Newport, Cwmbran and Crosskeys campus where many students continue their education. We offer places at post-16 for learners whose needs may be difficult to meet at college.

Facilities and Environment
The Nurcombe Centre has a designated area of the school site, with its own entrance. Our classrooms are designed with 'autism-friendly' principles, which include access to outdoor space and an abundance of natural light. Our bespoke 'apartment' supports the development of life skills to help prepare students for independents as adults. The multi-purpose sensory room is designed to support students with a variety of specific needs and provides a calming space for those who require it.

Enrichment
To develop wider social skills, we offer a range of enriching activities. Our monthly youth club offers students the opportunities to interact with peers and engage with a broad range of activities. This includes the offer for Year 5 and Year 6 students who are likely to transfer to the school in the near future. 

Staff at the resource base work with a range of external agencies, including occupational therapists and local authority specialist teams to ensure that student needs are met, not just academically but socially and developmentally. Our school wellbeing dog Poppy, is also available on a daily basis to help students who may be experiencing heightened anxiety or emotional distress. Students are able to, by appointment and agreement with their family, spend time with Poppy (our trained school therapy dog) to help them relax by taking her for a walk with a member of staff or just spend time with her.

Admissions
Student admission to the specialist resource base differs from the process for mainstream students. Places are managed by Monmouthshire Local Authority, in accordance with the current Special Educational Needs Code of Practice for Wales. All students must have a complex needs and a Statement of Special Educational Need.  

Once a place at our provision has been agreed and a Statement of Special Educational Need is finalised, staff will develop a bespoke transition programme dependent on individual need. This is likely to include a series of visits to help familiarise students, and their families, with the school site and arrangements.

For more information about our specialist resource base, please contact Mrs Rogers, Head of Centre (Inclusion) by email.

“Teachers and learning support staff in the school’s special needs resource base know their students and their specific needs extremely well. They use this information skilfully to adapt their teaching to suit their needs” (Estyn)