Walton Hall Academy Proposed Expansion in Stafford Town
Walton Hall Academy is a special school that caters for students aged 11 to 19 with a range of special educational needs. We currently have three pathways: Seekers, Explorers and Navigators across Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5.
Our school is located in a rural area, which has some advantages, such as an extensive and spacious green environment, but also some challenges, such as no access to public transport, local amenities, and very limited opportunities for our learners to practice independent living skills within their local community. We have been looking for ways to improve our provision and offer our students more choices and experiences that will prepare them for adulthood.
Therefore, we are proposing to expand our school by opening a new site in Stafford Town, where we will relocate our Key Stage 5 Navigator and Explorers pathways. This will enable us to provide our students with access to the same adapted facilities as we do now, as well as more opportunities to access the local community, such as shops, museums, colleges, workplaces, leisure centre, bus and train stations, Job Centre, banks, doctors and much more. We believe that this will enhance our curriculum and help our students develop their independence, confidence, and employability skills.
The new site will be staffed by our existing specialist trained teachers and support staff and the curriculum we will offer will continue to be the same high quality specially adapted curriculum we already offer, enhanced by the access to local amenities that will provide a unique opportunity for our learners not only to learn, but to practice independent living skills in their local community. We will continue to function under the same leadership and fully share the facilities of the existing site.
The proposed expansion and relocation will not affect our Seekers pathway. Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 Explorers and Navigators pathways will also not be affected. These pathways will remain at our current site. However, our expansion will mean all our students will have more opportunities to visit their local community and further develop the independence skills. We will ensure that there is a smooth transition for our students and staff.
We are planning to start the expansion and relocation process in January 2025, subject to approval from the Department for Education. We will keep you updated on the progress and the timeline of the project, and we will invite you to visit the new site when it is ready.
Your views, wishes and feelings about this proposal are extremely valuable to us, and we would like to hear from you. The consultation will remain live between 15 January 2024 and 23 February 2024. Please provide your views by 23 February 2024. You can email us at vas.stamatelatos@walton.set.org or call us on 01785 850420 if you have any questions or concerns. Finally, you are able to provide us with your views by completing this form on our website. Please click here to respond to the consultation.
Parent and carer consultation meeting
Thank you to all the parents and carers who attended the meeting with the Principal and the Project Team on Wednesday 31 January 2024 13:30 to 14:30 at Walton Hall Academy to discuss our exciting plans. Several of you were able to attend, representing all key stages and pathways. We have created a Frequently Asked Questions section below that we will continue to expand on with any queries we continue to receive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Introduction
Our children are at the centre of everything we do, and our mission is to make them the best version of themselves with as many opportunities as we can to develop and go on to contribute to society as we already know they can. Having limited opportunities means our children cannot see what they could achieve, and this is something we want to change by providing them with as many opportunities as possible and raising their and your aspirations.
We would not consider this as an option if we thought it would not benefit everyone. We can see what your children can achieve at school, and this move will greatly increase their opportunities to do more.
We will expand their independence in a safe and positive way, so when they leave us, they are better equipped with the tools and experiences that they need to thrive on the next stage of their journey and become confident individuals living fulfilling lives.
What is this about?
Our school is located in a rural area, which has some advantages, such as an extensive and spacious green environment, but also some challenges, such as no access to public transport, local amenities, and very limited opportunities for our learners to practice independent living skills within their local community. We have been looking for ways to improve our provision and offer our students more choices and experiences that will prepare them for adulthood. Our new base in Stafford Town will enable us to provide our students with access to the same adapted facilities as we do now, as well as more opportunities to access the local community, such as shops, museums, colleges, workplaces, leisure centre, bus and train stations, Job Centre, banks, doctors and much more. We believe that this will enhance our curriculum and help our students develop their independence, confidence, and employability skills.
Why are you doing this now?
This move has been our vision for several years as we know how much our students will benefit from being able to apply what they learn in their local town and community. The opportunities this move will bring to them is something we are extremely excited about. It will enhance our current provision immensely. The significant impact the pandemic caused not only during the national lockdowns, but also in recovering from the consequences of the national lockdowns and the pandemic had on our students, you their parents and families, our staff and the education sector in general has meant we have not been in a position to do this before now. Furthermore, our school has grown over the years and we must now expand, otherwise we will not be able to admit any further children within the next two school years.
Will this affect my child?
We plan to relocate our Key Stage 5 (Year 12, 13 and 14) students on our Navigators and Explorers pathways. Key Stage 3 (Year 7, 8 and 9) and Key Stage 4 (Year 10 and 11) students, as well as Key Stage 5 Seekers students, will remain at our main site. Although some students will continue to be at our main site, our expansion will mean all our students will have more opportunities to visit their local community and further develop their independence skills. For example, a Y9 class could join the new site in Stafford Town for a morning for travel training, a specific lesson focusing on Preparation for Adulthood, for Work Experience, visit the library to research a topic and more.
Where is the new base going to be?
We are exploring several options for our new base. What we can say at this time, is that it will be in Stafford Town and within walking distance of the town centre. As soon as we secure our new premises, we will let you know. Once the new premises are ready, we will hold an open day and invite you to visit it.
Will the curriculum be the same?
Yes. We will continue to offer the same specially adapted curriculum we do know at our new site. What this move will do, is allow us to enhance our curriculum even further by practicing with our students what we teach them daily in a community context. We will also build links with local employers to enhance our work experience offer and make the most of the facilities that will be within a short walking distance. Lastly, the students who will be based at our new site, will continue to access the farm, recording studio, motor vehicles and all the other facilities at our main site as part of their timetable.
Will my child get the same support they do now?
Yes. Our adult to student ratios will stay the same. Our existing support for interventions will stay the same. Our pastoral support will stay the same. School nursing support will be the same across both sites. Above all, the support your child will receive will continue to be in line with their Education, Health and Care plan.
How are you going to keep my child safe?
The safety of all our students is of absolute priority. The new site will have the same security system our main site has. Only staff members with electronic identity badges will be able to enter and leave the building. All visitors will be required to sign in at reception as they do now and escorted when on site by a staff member. Students will not be able to leave the building without prior agreement with you or being escorted by a member of staff. The new provision will be subject to the same level of risk assessment and site safety checks as at our main site to maintain the high safety standards you've come to expect at Walton Hall Academy.
When is this happening?
Our ambitious plan is for transition visits to start in January 2025. We will work at the pace that is suitable for our children to ensure they are confident and happy. The base should be fully operational by September 2025, so it is at this point that our students in Key Stage 5 would move to our new base. These timelines are subject to the Department for Education approving our plans, securing a building and making the necessary renovations to the building. We will keep you up-to-date throughout this process and any changes to our timeline.
What is going to happen to home to school travel assistance?
The Local Authority is responsible for publishing a policy every year that says what the criteria are for the support they will provide to post16 students to get them from home to school. Parents and carers of children who attend our sixth form must apply every year and, if eligible, pay a contribution to the Local Authority. Although some of our students may not need the Local Authority to provide travel assistance anymore as the new site will be accessible by public transport, some of our students will without a doubt require this support. Parents and carers will have to apply to the Local Authority and pay a contribution as they do now.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank Fiona Jackson, a parent of one of our students since 2018 and Academy Council member, for her invaluable contributions. We would also like to thank all parents and carers representing all key stages and pathways who attended the meeting with the Principal and the Project Team on Wednesday 31 January 2024 13:30 to 14:30 at Walton Hall Academy to discuss our exciting plans.