About Kettlebrook Short Stay School (KSSS)...

Kettlebrook Short Stay School works very closely with all the five secondary schools and the SEN school in Tamworth.

Kettlebrook works in partnership with each of the schools which refers some of their students to it to plan and deliver intensive learning programmes that will help each student to improve many aspects of their social, emotional and behavioural development, as well as enable them to have the opportunity to access the school curriculum.

Much of this work is done with the support of their parents/carers and working with many external agencies and other educational providers to enable each student to more forwardboth academically and socially.

Kettlebrook is in a unique position of needing to have a curriculum and be able to deliver it so the student can have the opportunity to return to their secondary school and continue to learn and develop in a larger setting, as well as have the flexibility to have a curriculum that is different; engaging; stimulating enough for each student to want to become an independent successful learner for life, who has the necessary skills and strategies to live their lives to their full positive potential.

KSSS's involvement in BSF...

Kirsty Rogers took up the post as head in September 2009.

It was by late December that her school were fully included in the BSF project.

She said: "My biggest concern at not being a part of BSF initially was that IT developments and the teaching of the curriculum using IT would hold our students back from returning to their mainstream school unless Kettlebrook had the same access to the IT facilities and staff training.

"So all the work needed to support Kettlebrook's part of the Tamworth BSF programme was very quickly undertaken in the space of a few weeks.

"What BSF was going to enable me to do at Kettlebrook was to have the opportunity to plan for the future; to have a building that was fit-for-purpose in meeting the needs of the students and their families, which would go with the highly experienced, dedicated professional staff who already lead the delivery of the social and academic needs of the students and their families. Instead of waiting 10 years to get the building and the IT infrastructure right, it could have happened in less than half the time."

Plans for KSSS...

The plans for Kettlebrook – which will with or without BSF, will enable this dynamic child and family-centred vision to be realised – included:

A dedicated space for student counselling; one-to-one work with the student and their families; a meeting point for external agencies to work in partnership in a planned coordinated way to ensure each student and their families get the most appropriate help and support in a caring and encouraging dedicated area.

An IT infrastructure where each student had access to current IT applications which would shape their economic futures.

A multi-gym space giving each student the opportunity to actively participate in healthy lifestyle options.

The redesign of some existing classrooms, corridors and new learning environments to support one to one learning.

A larger food technology space for students to learn life skills and facilities for young mums-to-be to learn by actively looking after electronically programmed babies.

If funding is not secured for the town's schools...

With staff, students, parents and governing body, we will continue to plan and improve the existing facilities on a rolling programme so that we get the best use out of the building and its resources.

This year has seen the last of the interactive white IT boards into each learning area; an increase in computer access in each classroom; painted walls and interactive displays; as well as continuous training for staff to remain at the forefront of educating our students' social, emotional and behavioural needs.