Local Services and Schools in Newcastle

Support Services

Educational Psychology Service

Educational Psychologists work with children and young people aged 0 to 19 years to help promote their learning and general development. In doing this, they support and consult with parents and carers and the staff of schools. They also work closely along side other professionals from the Local Authority, the Health Authority and the Voluntary Sector. The Service plays an important role in advising on provision for children with special educational needs, both through consultation with those caring for and working with the children and through the contribution of psychological advice to the Statutory Assessment process.

Kathleen Richardson

Acting Principal Educational Psychologist Educational Psychology Service
Springfield Centre
Off Blakelaw Road
Newcastle upon Tyne NE5 3HU

Telephone: 277 4577
Fax: 277 4566

Special Educational Needs Teaching and Support Service (SENTASS)

SENTASS provides specialist educational support for children in mainstream schools who have a wide variety of special educational needs. It also works into Special Schools and the PRU. It consists of teachers, learning support assistants and nursery nurses who work in close co-operation with schools, parents and other agencies in the areas of visual impairment, hearing impairment, pre-school/early years, speech and language problems, dyslexia/specific learning difficulties and physical disability. In addition to its teaching role the service also offers advice and support to staff through training and the preparation of work for children.

Sensory Support

Pre-school children diagnosed as having a hearing loss are visited at home by a peripatetic teacher who provides advice and support to the family to help them overcome the difficulties associated with hearing loss.
At school age, provision for children with hearing impairment takes the form of individual support within mainstream school or within an additionally resourced centre for pupils with significant hearing impairment, where teachers of the hearing impaired provide a higher level of specialist teaching support for a number of children.
The VI team offers advice and support to parents and schools on the educational needs of the visually impaired child. There are resourced centres attached to mainstream schools for children with severe visual difficulties.

Support for pre-school/early years

The Young Children's Team aims to provide advice and support to parents of pre-school children, from 0-5 years, who have developmental problems. In addition to teachers working in the home environment there is a team of nursery nurses who will support children with special needs in mainstream nurseries and nursery classes. Children may be invited to attend a range of groups with a specific focus, some of which are run jointly with other professionals.

Key Contact for SENTASS:

Hilary Walmsley
Head of Service
Springfield Centre, Off Blakelaw Road,
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE5 3HU.
Tel: 277 4600
Fax: 277 4606

Nick Ghost
Co-ordinator with Responsibility for Specific Learning Dfficulties and Speech and Language Difficulties - Springfield Centre (as above)

Peter Preston
Co-ordinator with responsibility for Sensory Support - Springfield Centre (as above)

Phil Thornton
Team Leader Sensory Support – Springfield Centre (as above)

Kay Punshon
Team Leader Young Children’s Team – Springfield Centre (as above)

Education Welfare Service

The Education Welfare Service (EWS) plays an important role in establishing and maintaining links between school and home; offers advice and support to families to enable children to take full advantage of the educational opportunities available to them. Education Welfare Officers (EWOs) can support parents in discussions with school staff and can, where appropriate, advise on the support available from other services and make referrals where necessary.

The EWS is primarily focused upon dealing with issues related to school attendance but can also advise and assist in areas such as bullying, exclusion from school, special educational needs, child employment and where there are child protection issues.

The service accepts referrals from schools, parents, children, and other family members, statutory and voluntary agencies. EWOs can be contacted through schools or directly at The Newcastle Springfield Centre, Off Blakelaw Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE5 3HU.
Tel: 0191 277 4500. Office hours 8.30 am to 4.45 pm (Mon-Thu) 8.30 am to 4.30 pm (Fri).
Fax: 0191 277 4515
email: ews.education@newcastle.gov.uk

Linhope Centre

Linhope is a pupil referral unit in Newcastle. There are two main ways into Linhope. Firstly, pupils who have been permanently excluded from school will be given a place.
Secondly, pupil who are in danger of being excluded will be referred to the Placement Review Group which may decide that a temporary place (so called, Revolving Door placement) in Linhope is advisable. If this is the case the child remains on the role of the school and will normally be expected to return to that school at the end of the placement.
Pupils are offered full-time places in Linhope; those in Key Stage 4 have their time divided between Linhope and a range of options via our Alternative Curriculum.

Newcastle Bridges School

A Hospital School was established in September 2002 that incorporates all the constituent parts of the Hospital Teaching Service, Harbour West and Ashlyns. All teaching continues to take place on the present sites.

Hospital teaching provides education for children aged between 2 and 19 who are in hospital and attending an educational establishment. Qualified and experienced teachers work with children on the following sites:

Fleming Nuffield Unit.
Freeman Hospital .
Newcastle General Hospital .
Royal Victoria Infirmary.
Young People's Unit at Newcastle General Hospital.

Home tuition is provided for any child unable to attend school for medical reasons for more than four weeks, on the recommendation of the school medical officer or the hospital consultant.

Margaret Dover
Headteacher
Newcastle Bridges School
C/o Ward 10
Queen Victoria Road
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NEl 4LP
Telephone: 233 0764
Fax: 2330765

Ashlyns Unit
The service works with girls and their parents to offer appropriate educational provision for pregnant schoolgirls and schoolgirl mothers.

Barbara Peacock , Manager of Ashlyns, Benwell Hill Road
Telephone: 228 0517

Harbour West Unit
This unit, attached to a mainstream comprehensive school, caters for the needs of pupils who are identified as school phobic. There is a strict referral procedure involving Health and Education Welfare.

Peter Ewart, Manager of Harbour West, c/o All Saints’ College
Telephone: 264 0590

Health provision

Community Paediatric Services

(Behind Diabetes Centre)
General Hospital Westgate
Road Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE4 6BE
Telephone: 233 6161

Physiotherapy & Occupational Therapy

Sally Wilson
Physiotherapy Manager
Sanderson Centre,
Brackenfield Road
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE3 4FX
Telephone: 233 6161

Speech Therapy

Debbie Lees
Head of Paediatric Speech Therapy Wear House,
Northern Counties School for the Deaf
Tankerville Terrace
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE2 3BE
Telephone: 256 3085

Joint groups are run with staff from SENTASS where appropriate.

Child Development Centre (CDC)

The CDC provides a service for the whole North East Health Region. It consists of a team of specialists (children's doctor, physiotherapist, speech therapist, social worker, educational psychologist) who can be involved in the assessment of babies and young children. There is an open referral system to the CDC, so referral can be made by a doctor, health visitor, therapist, etc or by the child's parents.

Dr Mary Gibson
Consultant Paediatrician
Child Development Centre
Royal Victoria Infirmary
Queen Victoria Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
Telephone: 233 6161 Extension: 24751

SEN Provision in Newcastle

Special Schools

Hadrian School
Head teacher: Liz Turnbull
Bertram Crescent
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE15 6PY
Telephone: 273 4440

The school meets the needs of pupils aged between 2 and 11+ with profound and multiple learning difficulties; complex and/or severe learning difficulties and associated physical disabilities.

Sir Charles Parsons
Head teacher: John Preston
Westbourne Avenue
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE6 4ED
Telephone: 263 0261

The school meets the needs of pupils aged between 11 and 19 with profound and multiple learning difficulties; complex and/or severe learning difficulties and associated physical difficulties.

Thomas Bewick
Head teacher: Audrey Lindley
Hillhead Parkway
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NEl5 lDP Telephone: 267 5435

The school meets the needs of pupils between the ages of 5 and 19 years with profound and multiple learning difficulties; challenging behaviour including severe communication difficulties/autism. Specialist residential provision for up to 20 pupils is available at the Hadrian School site.

Trinity
Principal Dave Edmondson
Central Administration
Condercum Road
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE4 8XJ
Telephone: 226 1500

The school provides multi-site provision for pupils aged between 7 and 16+ with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

Kenton Lodge site
Head teacher & Deputy Principal: Steve O’Gara
Kenton Road
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE3 4PD
Telephone 285 5392

Oakfield College site
General Manager: Patrick Tully
Condercum Road
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE4 8XJ
Telephone: 273 5558

Deneview site
Head teacher: Mary Kiernan
Freeman Road
Newcastle upon Tyne,
NE3 lSZ
Telephone: 284 3533

Additionally Resourced Provision in mainstream schools for children with SEN

Early Years Assessment

Cheviot Primary (4 - 11 years)
Head Teacher: Eileen Youngs
Yeltholm Place
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE5 4EB
Telephone: 286 9324

Bridgewater Primary (4 - 11 years)
Head Teacher: Sandra Marsden
Axwell Park View
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE15 6RN Telephone: 274 5290

Particular focus on children with communication disorder/autism

Emotional/behavioural difficulty with learning difficulties

Cheviot Primary (4 - 11 years)
Head Teacher: Eileen Youngs
Yeltholm Place
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE5 4EB
Telephone: 286 9324

Bridgewater Primary (4 - 11 years)
Head Teacher: Sandra Marsden
Axwell Park View
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE15 6RN
Telephone: 274 5290

Hawthorn Primary (4 - 11years)
Head Teacher: Judy Cowgill
Park Close
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE4 6SB
Telephone 273 4237

West Walker Primary (4 - 11 years)
Head teacher: Nicola Draper
Church Street
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE6 3XB
Telephone: 262 4130

Montagu Community Full Service School (4 - 11 years)
Head teacher: Bruce McWilliam
Moor View Crescent
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE53HY
Telephone: 286 9658

Speech and Language Difficulties

Atkinson Road Primary (4 - 11 years)
Head teacher: Mike Hunter
Atkinson Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE4 8XT
Telephone: 273 0452

Welbeck Primary (4 - 11 years)
Head Teacher: Barrie Russell
Flodden Street
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE6 2QL
Telephone: 265 5362

Kenton Comprehensive (11 - 18 years)
Head Teacher: David Pearmain
Drayton Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 3RU
Telephone: 214 2200

Communication Disorder

Kenton Bar Primary (4 - 11 years)
Head Teacher: Tony Leonard
Ryal Walk
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 3YFT
T elephone: 286 0536

Atkinson Road Primary (4- 11 years)
Head Teacher: Mike Hunter
Atkinson Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE4 8XT
Telephone: 273 0452

Kenton Comprehensive (11 - 18 years)
Head Teacher: David Pearmain
Drayton Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 3RU
Telephone: 214 2200

Tyneview Primary (4 - 11 years)
Head Teacher: Shirley Davison
Winslow Place (off Titan Road)
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE6 3QP
Telephone: 262 6227

Physical Disability

Kingston Park Primary (4 - 11 years)
Head Teacher: Judy Evans
Cranleigh Avenue
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 2HB
Telephone: 214 0363

Tyneview Primary (4 - 11 years)
Head Teacher: Shirley Davison
Winslow Place (off Titan Road)
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE6 3QP T
Telephone: 262 6227

Benfield Comprehensive (11 - 18 years)
Head Teacher: Lee Brumby
Benfield Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE6 4NU
Telephone: 265 6091

Visually Impaired

Regent Farm First (4 - 9 years)
Head Teacher: Jean Humphrey
Wansbeck Road South N
N ewcastle upon Tyne
NE3 3PE
Telephone: 285 2294

Gosforth West Middle (9 - 13 years)
Head Teacher: Ms K.Thomas
Jubilee Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 lDY
Telephone: 285 3060

Gosforth High (13 -18 years)
Head Teacher: Hugh Robinson
Knightsbridge
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE3 2JH
Telephone: 285 1000

Hearing Impaired

Broadwood Primary (4 - 11 years)
Head Teacher: Marcus Tinsley
Broadwood Road
Newcastle upon Tyne
NEl5 7TB
Telephone: 274 1684

Benton Park Primary (4 - 11 years)
Head Teacher: Alice Witherow
Corchester Walk
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE7 7SS
Telephone: 266 5122

Heaton Manor Comprehensive (11 - 18 years)
Head Teacher: John Dryden
Jesmond Park West
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE7 7DP
Telephone: 281 8486

Useful names and addresses

Executive Director of Children’s Services
Catherine Fitt
Civic Centre,
Barras Bridge
Newcastle upon Tyne
NEl 8PU
Telephone: 232 8520 Extension 25301

Special Educational Needs Development Manager
Jean Langley,
Springfield Centre
Telephone: 277 4654

Principal Officer Special Educational Needs
John Thompson,
Springfield Centre
Telephone: 277 4650

Section Head Special Educational Needs Section
Margaret Watson,
Springfield Centre
Telephone: 277 4650

Transport

Enquiries relating to travel arrangements should be made to the Education & Libraries Directorate Telephone: 277 4646

The information in this leaflet was correct at the date of publication, August 2004.

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