Our Model & Ethos
Our Education Model and Ethos is built around our holistic approach and strong belief that education and healthcare are closely linked, thus should be treated with equal importance. This makes ADO River Valley somewhat unique in our approach, with students and service users experiencing a bespoke package and delivery throughout the whole time that they are involved with us.
Student Centered Assessments and Programmes
We are student centered, with the views and wishes of each student playing an important role in the admissions process. Through our referral and assessment process, River Valley is able to obtain information to understand the needs of the student and plan an appropriate schedule to suit their needs and abilities. The assessment process is a detailed procedure which allows a visiting student to be absorbed into our timetable. We feel that two full days enables us to ascertain the needs of the individual and allows them to see our bespoke methodologies in how we work. It is of paramount importance for students being referred to us to have a key interest or a career aim in line with our bespoke pathways. River Valley would unlikely be able to offer a place where we believe that the students’ needs cannot be catered for by the available facilities or whose condition or behaviour would pose an unacceptable risk or threat to the welfare or infringe health and safety of other students or staff.
If the assessment was successful, in conjunction with the family-carers and professionals that have worked with the student to date, we would then prepare for the start date of the new student. Upon starting with us, our staff team will prepare the baseline process which will occur within the first two weeks of the start date, in order to effectively track and measure achievement, progress and development for each individual student.
Specialist Staff
ADO River Valley have been working with children and young people since 2011. We have trained and certified specialist therapy staff to support the needs of students, who have a range of additional needs including Social Emotional Mental Health Issues, Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Learning Difficulties. We have extensive experience working with CYP that have been diagnosed with a variety of additional needs and our staff are usually trained from within on alternative areas that promote Continual Professional Development, to work in parallel with their roles of supporting the students. As an example, a staff member who may be a Learning Support Assistant for our students could be enrolled on a remote teaching or therapy qualification, to be upskilled on how to teach the students, or provide therapeutic strategies to help them manage throughout the school day.