We recognise that being a parent or a carer of a child who is experiencing mental challenges can be both daunting and at times scary. At Hawkswood Therapeutic we do our very best to support pupils and their families to navigate through difficult times and celebrate the success at the end of the journey here with us.
We are a small school with big ambitions for our pupils and support them to realise their dreams and aspirations. During their 20-week placement with us, we will support pupils to set a vision for the future they want and help them work towards it. Our multidisciplinary team which includes teaching and support staff, as well as therapeutic staff and volunteers will identify with your child the best solutions to help them make progress.
Please look out for our newsletters and follow us on social media to see what happens at Hawkswood, we really are a very special place.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call the main school office or contact one of the team (please see our contacts page to identify the right person).
School Hours
Pupils can arrive from 8:30am and wait in reception with Freddie and the fish.
Breakfast is from 8:50am – 9am
The day consists of form time, 5 lessons, break and lunch.
The end of the school day is 2:30pm
E-Safety
Our e–Safety Policy has been written by building on the government guidance. It has been agreed by the Senior Leadership Team and approved by governors. The e-Safety Policy and its implementation will be reviewed annually. Parents and carers will be requested to sign an e–Safety/Internet agreement as part of the Home School Agreement when their child starts Hawkswood.
Why is Internet use important?
The purpose of Internet use in school is to raise educational standards, to promote pupil achievement, to support the professional work of staff and to enhance the school’s management functions. Internet use is part of the statutory curriculum and a necessary tool for learning. The Internet is a part of everyday life for education, business and social interaction. The school has a duty to provide students with quality Internet access as part of their learning experience. Pupils use the Internet widely outside school and need to learn how to evaluate Internet information and to take care of their own safety and security.
We believe that;
- Pupil instruction in responsible and safe use should precede Internet access.
- We ensure this happens as soon as the children join our provision.
- All users should be informed that network and Internet use will be monitored.
- Safe and responsible use of the Internet and technology should be reinforced across the curriculum.
- Particular attention should be given where pupils are considered to be vulnerable.
- Cyberbullying (along with all forms of bullying) will not be tolerated in school. Full details are set out in the school’s policy on anti-bullying.
Internet Safety at Home
We work closely with our pupils Parents and Carers to ensure our E-Saftey expectations are used both inside and out of the school building. To support our Pupils we have included a new e-safety resource that they can use at home with their parent or Carer (please see below).
Helping our pupils keep safe online
Making sure you know what your children are accessing on the Internet is vital in keeping them safe in this ever expanding and changing, technological age.
A new gaming ‘craze’ Fortnite is sweeping primary schools across the country. We are aware that many parents are not yet fully aware of the content of this game. We encourage all parent for follow the advice below to mitigate risks and maximise keeping their children safe. Screen time, stranger chat and rage at losing can become insurmountable without consistent guidance and monitoring over a child’s online use, but with the right advice we hope to provide a greater understanding of the games content and how parents and carers can keep their children safe.
What is Fortnite?
Fortnite is a survival game where 100 players fight against each other in player versus player combat to be the last one standing. It is a fast-paced game where ‘killing’ the other opponents is the name of the game. Every other ‘player’ can be a complete stranger to your child, from anywhere in the world, in any age bracket. There are an estimated 3.4 million current players on Fortnite.
In the UK the Video Standards council rate Fortnite as PEGI 12 for frequent scenes of mild violence. In the US the ESRB rate Fortnite as Teen only suitable for those 13 years and older. iTunes rates the game only suitable for children 12+ for Frequent/Intense Cartoon or Fantasy Violence and Infrequent/Mild Medical/Treatment Information. As all children of Primary age are between the ages of 4 – 11, it is not advised by Hawkswood or any of the organisations mentioned above that children under 12 assess this game. If your child is playing this game online we strongly suggest that you encourage them to take you through the game, exploring the content and any other people that they may be connecting with online. From here, you can make the decision as to whether they access it again. We strongly advise that the content of the game is neither useful or constructive for any of the pupils at Hawkswood.
Monitoring who they are talking to
Along with suitability, it’s worth checking the online communication settings on any game to ensure your child is’nt talking to strangers. Fortnite users statistically range from teenagers to much older adults.
Managing in-app purchases on the game
The game has considerable in-app purchases (games within the game that need you to pay money towards to access) so you’ll need to be aware this. These areas will ask for you to set up passwords on credit cards associated with the system. This is important to remember for any online games your child may access, be it on a laptop, computer, tablet or gaming console. Ensure the device your child is using isn’t linked to any adults payment details…you could find yourself facing some very high bills if not monitored closely!
Setting time limits on ‘screen time’
Finally, it’s important to have some limits in terms of playtime for ‘screen time’ or ‘gaming online’. This is something you can set as a family and then discuss with your child. Screen time does not have to be something that always happens, with a clear time limit and monitored use, you may choose to have particular days of the week or day when your child does or doesn’t have screen access.
The National Online Safety Team have teamed up with MusicAlternative as part of their #WakeUpWednesday campaign, to launch a Fortnite online safety song for you to share with your children.
The song encourages parents and carers to “stay switched on” to online dangers when their children are playing Fortnite.
here: https://twitter.com/natonlinesafety/status/1052469311388958720
We have sourced a variety of informative and supportive materials, outlining the content of some popular games and things to look out for, such as the new Internet ‘craze’ the Momo challenge.
- Online Safety Pack – for children
- E-Safety Policy
- Thinkuknow 11-13s
- Thinkuknow 14+
- Thinkuknow – Short videos for parents and carers: delivering online safety at home
- TikTok: A guide for parents
For more information:
You can keep up to date with the latest news from the CEOP Education team by following us on Facebook and Twitter. If you have any questions or feedback about our resources, get in touch with us at ceopeducation@nca.gov.uk.