Partnership

Partnership working is the essence of what we promote at The Grove. This ethos promotes staff, multi-disciplinary teams, families and students working together to achieve the best outcomes. Our aim is to ensure that families and students understand and feel informed about what is happening at school and beyond so they are able to make informed decisions.

Meetings with our multi-disciplinary team, staff meetings, planning meetings and training sessions ensure our staff teams work together in the optimum way and adopt current thinking in their practice. Families have opportunities to meet with staff and professionals at times that are mutually convenient, to discuss their child’s progress, concerns and celebrate successes.

Families are included at every stage of the planning and target-setting process. We hold termly Pupil Progress Meetings with parents and carers as well as an annual review meeting. During these, parents and carers receive written feedback on the progress of their child.

Where necessary, staff conduct home visits. For some young people, it is important that we do this before entry to the school as part of the planned transition. Additional home visits for existing students and their families may also take place. These are commonly organised and attended by our pastoral team. From time to time, other members of staff, including our therapists, may want to visit a family at home to support the implementation of strategies and to support continuity.

Families are expected to keep the school informed of relevant information that may impact on the teaching and learning of their child. We encourage this information sharing as part of our strong belief that a two-way flow of communication ensures a child gets the best from their time at school. This fosters trust and transparency within the working partnership and this commitment is consolidated through the home–school agreement.

Looked After Children (LAC)

Our designated lead teacher for Looked After Children (LAC) and Previously Looked After Children is Miss Nadine Huseyin

Family Support

At The Grove, we feel it is just as important to support our families as it is to support and nurture our students. In October 2021 our Pastoral Team won the nasen Award for Co-production with Children and Young People and their Families and in September 2020 we won the NAPCE Pastoral School of the Year award.

Miss Huseyin, our Family Support, Pastoral & Safeguarding Lead works with the Pastoral Care team to provide advice on approaches that might help and support you and your child. The team can put you in contact with relevant specialists and specific services as required and can co-ordinate and liaise with staff teams on your behalf.

Support includes:

  • promoting good attendance and punctuality
  • promoting self-esteem and confidence
  • promoting positive behaviour and positive attitudes to learning
  • providing one-to-one support

​Support for families includes:

  • providing information and signposting to other services in the local area
  • liaising with a range of external services such as housing and Social Care and CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)
  • assistance in completing paperwork and forms e.g. housing, transport forms, school places and benefits
  • attendance and support at school and other agency meetings
  • advice and support in promoting positive behaviour at home
  • guidance with career and personal development 
  • access to training and workshops in school
  • family coffee mornings
  • bespoke one-to-one support in the family home

As a school we also organise social gatherings, these are arranged by staff at the school.  Events include the Summer Fair, and Christmas shows which are annual events for all families to enjoy.  

Learning opportunities for families take place at The Grove or online. Examples include Cygnet Parenting Support Programme, online safety and social skills. Learning includes practical workshops, talks (e.g. about behaviour or therapies) or interactive training provided by external agencies that we work with.

A weekly update “Grove News” provides up to date information to parents and carers and a half termly curriculum newsletters provides information on the current and upcoming term.

We regularly seek to gain the views and needs of families, but if there is something you feel we could do better, we welcome your ideas and suggestions.

Parent Support in Haringey

Markfield’s Family Support Team offers free specialist advice on topics such as: disability benefits, behaviour support, transition to adulthood and guidance on other support services you can access.

Haringey SEND Parent / Carer Forum

Haringey SEND Parent Carer Forum (PCF) is a new forum for all parent/carers of children and young people with SEND who live in Haringey.

We are encouraging parents and carers from all socio-economic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds from across the borough to join this forum. The forum is still in the early stages, so we need representative support from across Haringey’s SEND community to succeed.

Every single parent and carer has a skill, a background, ideas and experiences which will be beneficial, and will help develop the forum to represent parents, carers, and children/young people with SEND.

The (provisional) aims of this PCF are:

  • creating a culture of participation and co-production across educational settings, health, social care, the voluntary sectors and local SEND parent-carer groups
  • maximising the parents’ and carers’ involvement in designing, commissioning, delivering and reviewing services as equal partners
  • empowering parents and carers to ensure their voices are heard
  • inspiring and sharing good practice and knowledge

The Bridge Renewal Trust (Bridge) was awarded a contract for 1-2 years to work in partnership with parents and carers to assist the creation of a SEND PCF. This forum and the Bridge are independent from Haringey Council. The Bridge will provide finance and HR support, employ an Engagement Co-ordinator and Admin and Communications Assistant, facilitate training for parent representatives, the Project Steering Group (PSG), and the Chair. The forum will be run by the parents and carers themselves and not by the Bridge.

Parents and carers of children and young people (0-25 years old) with SEND and who live in the borough of Haringey can join this forum. Representatives of local parent carer groups can also get involved. People/representatives of organisations who work closely with children and young people with SEND such as school governors may also join.

Please email [email protected] if you wish to attend the next meeting and/or to join Haringey SEND Parent Carer Forum.

Information and useful contacts for parents and carers
For additional support, advice and information, the following organisations are useful contacts

IPSEA
Contact a Family
SOS!SEN
Special Needs Jungle

Other organisations working in the field of SEN
Nasen
Special Educational Consortium
Council for Disabled Children
Federation of Leaders in Special Education
Autism Education Trust
Communications Trust
Dyslexia/Specific Learning Difficulties Trust