FAQ's
What is a free school?
Free schools are independent, state-funded schools with the same legal status as academies.
Will the school be able to make a profit?
No. The school will be run on a not-for-profit basis by the Edmonton Academy Trust. The school will be run by the CEO, Headteacher and their leadership team and they will be answerable to a Board of Trustees.
What does it mean to enter into a Funding Agreement with the Secretary of State for Education?
When an academy enters into a Funding Agreement, they effectively enter into a contract between themselves and the Secretary of State for Education. This contract, or Funding Agreement, is how academies are held accountable to the Department for Education.
Will funding the school mean there will be less money for the other mainstream and/or specialist provision in the area?
No. Funding for Salmon’s Brook School is worked out equivalent to the funding available to other special schools in the area and it will not reduce the overall funding available for schools in Enfield.
Will Salmon’s Brook School be inspected by Ofsted?
Yes. The school will be subject to inspection in the same way as other special schools. All new schools are also inspected by Ofsted prior to the school opening and receives ongoing scrutiny from DfE.
How will the school be accountable?
The school will be run by a Local Governing Body who will be accountable to the Trustees of the Edmonton Academy Trust (EdAcT). In addition, Salmon’s Brook School will be accountable to the Secretary of State for Education through the terms of its Funding Agreement. The school will, of course, be accountable day to day to parents/carers and the wider community.
Why will students attend this school rather than other mainstream schools in the borough
Students who attend Salmon’s Brook will have an Educational Health and Care Plan which states that their educational needs would be better met in a specialist provision. The primary need for students attending Salmon’s Brook School will be social, emotional and mental health difficulties (SEMH)
Why will the main SEND needs of the students attending this school be?
The primary need for students attending Salmon’s Brook School will be social, emotional and mental health difficulties (SEMH). Pupils may have additional special educational needs such as autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) attention deficit and hyperactive disorders (ADHD) and speech, language and communication needs (SCLN).
How will the students travel to and from the school and will there be an impact on the local travel infrastructure?
Due to the small size of the school’s cohort (70 students when full), there will be minimal impact on the local travel infrastructure. Depending on the student’s level of need, they may travel independently, or be supported in this by the borough and school through the provision of a taxi or minibus service.
How will the school fit into Enfield’s Local Offer for SEND?
The leadership team of Salmon’s Brook have worked closely with the local SEND offer for Enfield and the school’s application was successful on the grounds that there was a significant need for this type of provision in the borough. Enfield SEND will commission places for the school and work in collaboration with Salmon’s Brook and other special and mainstream schools in the borough.
What will the timings of the day and school term dates be?
Salmon’s Brook school will open from 8:00am and remain open in some capacity until 18:00pm. One of the innovative aspects of the school’s timetable is that students will be offered Enrichment activities until 18:00pm. Further details of this can be found on the school’s website: : https://www.edmontoncounty.co.uk/salmons-brook
What type of curriculum and subjects will the school offer?
Our curriculum ensures that all pupils learn linguistic, mathematical, scientific, technological, human and social, physical and aesthetic and creative education. Our curriculum is also underpinned with pupils personal and social development and therefore ensures that learning is personalised to each individual, meaning that their individual therapeutics provision and highly differentiated and individualised timetables are in place to ensure that all pupils are able to access learning and flourish, over time. Please take a look at our educational offer and curriculum which you can access on our website.
How is EdAcT as a mainstream trust going to ensure high quality specialised provision?
The Edmonton Academy Trust has a long and well-established relationship with our partner secondary and primary organisations SEND teams which include the expertise and knowledge of SENCOs and an Educational Psychologist. During the application process the school worked closely with SEND professionals, with experience of opening and running similar schools. These relationships have enabled EdAcT to ensure we are well equipped to deliver a high-quality specialised education. Our rigorous recruitment procedures will enable Salmon’s Brook School to recruit exceptional SEND practitioners and our experienced special education advisors will enable us to continually review and strengthen provision ensuring only the very best education is delivered.
What uniform will students be required to wear?
As a Special School joining what is currently a mainstream organisation, we want to ensure all pupils feel part of the wider trust. One aspect of this will be the requirement for all learners to wear the Salmon’s Brook uniform that will complement the uniform of ECS secondary and primary schools.
When will the recruitment begin?
Jobs will be advertised from the beginning of January 2021. The recruitment process will follow normal EdAcT procedures in line with safer recruitment guidance.