About Egerton High School
Our mission statement:
"We equip our young people with the knowledge, skills and opportunities necessary to achieve their potential; we inspire creative, independent and critical thinkers; we build confidence, passion and self-esteem in a nurturing, safe and encouraging learning community; we aim to develop citizens who can excel in their endeavours and contribute positively to society."
Egerton High School is a large 11-18 SEMH facility, where all students have an EHC plan, or are under assessment for one.
Egerton is a Local Authority maintained school with place funding for 64 students in the 11-16 phase and 8 places in the sixth form, 72 in total; this has been increased from 50 in the last 5 years.
Due to popular demand, the School opened a sixth form provision at the start of the 2023-24 academic year. Like the main school, this is now oversubscribed, with a projected 11 students on roll by 2024.
The School is a popular choice, and is currently oversubscribed as a result of the improvements made, with 67 on roll in the 11-16 phase and 5 on roll in the Sixth form, totalling 72.
All students have complex needs, history and background, as a result of the cohort’s wide-ranging neurodiversity.
The School believes very strongly in a Values based approach to work and life, founded on the work of John Demartini. We place this at the heart of everything we do, and believe that our commitment to this approach makes us a happy and successful unit, within what is the most challenging educational context. We believe that such an approach results in the reduction of stress and anxiety for all our stakeholders. Our ethos focuses and celebrates individuality, rejecting the comparison agenda, which we believe severely undermines a healthy mind. The school is relentless in the discussion and the consideration of the most successful role models on the planet, and what they can teach us, regardless of our current position.
Some students are currently educated in a combination of off-site and onsite provision, in specialist provisions designed to meet their needs, as determined by their EHCP Reviews. Since 2018, the School has consistently analysed and evaluated its use of Alternative Provision in terms of the academic, personal and social outcomes achieved; the use of AP has been significantly reduced as a result, and the School has sought to exercise full responsibility for its children with Exceptional Needs via expanding its range of onsite specialist facilities.
This reconceptualization and reorganisation exercise, has led to a number of building works being carried out in order to more adequately meet the changing demands of its cohort: the school has, therefore, is now able to offer 4 facilities/strategies:
The Main or Nurture Offer: an attachment and trauma informed approach based upon the Nurture UK approach, differentiated according to the pupils’ ages, leading to full independence by Year 11.
The Growth Zone (GZ) facility: a ‘stage not age’ approach designed to meet the needs of those who struggle to regulate their emotions.
The Exceptionally Vulnerable (EV) facility: a ‘stage not age’ alternative therapeutic approach for those who exhibit extreme anxiety.
Outreach (OR): a facility designed to re-engage those with poor attendance, who have become disengaged in school, those who require a ‘stepping in’ (phased) transition into their new school, or those who are moving on elsewhere, a facility for those who entered the School’s roll upon an agreed Alternative Provision timetable, who require bespoke 1-1 support.
All students across all strategies have Minimum Expected Grade academic targets based upon their prior attainment (Fisher Family Trust). All strategies above seek to return the student into the Main (Nurture) offer. Since September 2018, many students have succeeded on phased returns to the Main body of the School. As a result of this, together with a significant evidence base over the past 6 years, the School is confident that this differentiated approach is a huge success, with many students, including Looked After Children, completely outperforming their target grades.
The School has maintained a healthy intake in Year 7, as its reputation begins to build, with full cohorts taking up places since 2019.
Given the aforementioned, the School is viable, moving forwards towards the future, and has been successful in securing finance to expand its provision by creating 5 new rooms on site, and moving into a further 4 new rooms on an additional site to house the sixth form development from September 2023.
The School considers its Safeguarding policy and practices to be a strength. It has recently been part of the Trafford Section 175 Audit, and it regularly undertakes Safeguarding evaluations run by independent external specialist consultants and agencies:
“It is imperative that I express how extremely humbled I felt to be able to visit the school, and to meet with the staff and the pupils. Every single school aim and value is being honoured in this school. The commitment of the staff is exemplary. All the pupils have a place in the hearts of the staff and the governors. What a difference everyone is making to the life chances of each and every pupil, who really need to know that the staff have belief in them.”
(Imelda Spencer)
The school is working tirelessly towards achieving its aims and meeting its targets to become an outstanding, thriving community.
All students on roll have high deprivation risk factors: 100% have at least one SEN, 90% are previous Low Attainers, 57% have a high number of previous school moves
The children come from a mix, although poor, of different socio-economic backgrounds: PPG applies to 57%; which is more than twice the figure of all Secondary Schools (25%).
A significant number of pupils show significant language delay when assessed on entry into school. The School operates English and Maths intervention programme in order to address these weaknesses. These programmes display demonstrable improvement outcomes.
The school and grounds are largely free from graffiti and vandalism, demonstrating how students respect their environment.