Transition Letter 2026

Dear Parents and Carers,

As part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring we provide the best possible support for all pupils, we regularly review the needs of pupils across the whole school. This includes considering how we use our staffing, resources and learning environments to maximise our ability to meet pupils’ individual needs.

Following a recent review, we have made the decision that from the July transition period, Year 11 pupils will be based at The Hive site, and Year 10 and below will be based at the Denstone site.

This change will allow us to better support pupils at different stages of their education.

The Hive site provides an environment that is particularly suited to supporting Year 11 pupils as they prepare to leave school and move on to Post-16 provision. The location supports opportunities to develop greater independence, including independent travel skills, and enables us to structure the provision so that pupils can begin to rely less on adult support as they prepare for the next stage of their education.

The Denstone site provides an environment that is well suited to younger pupils. It offers outdoor space and allows pupils to learn alongside a wider group of peers of a similar age, supporting the development of social skills, friendships and confidence.

We would like to reassure parents and carers that the Denstone site will continue to provide the same high level of support that pupils currently receive, including:

· Small class sizes

· High staffing ratios

· Access to the intervention team

· Access to the clinical team

As part of this reorganisation, we are also reviewing our curriculum offer across the provision. Our aim is to expand the range of subjects available to pupils, allowing more pupils to access a wider variety of learning opportunities and additional qualifications where appropriate. We believe this will help pupils develop their strengths, interests and future pathways.

Further information about specific subjects and timetables will be shared once staffing allocations and timetables have been finalised.

Our aim is always to ensure that pupils are in the environment where they can learn best, develop socially, and be well prepared for the next stage of their education.

Over the coming weeks, staff will support pupils in preparing for any changes through transition activities and familiarisation opportunities. If your child is directly affected by a change in class or site, a member of staff will contact you to discuss this in more detail.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

Thank you for your continued support.