What We Do For students with social, emotional, and behavioural challenges, Ferndearle School was founded in 2001 and is registered with the DFES (SEBD).
Our Governors Bernie is a licenced social worker who still feels deeply about the kids she works with.
Since that time, Bernie has guided Compass from being a stand-alone Independent Fostering Provider to what is now Compass Community Children's Programs, which offers care, education, and therapy to more than 1,300 children and young adults as part of specialised services.
Kate has over 25 years of experience working with children with special needs in mainstream primary and secondary schools, special schools, and FE institutions. She is a trained educational psychologist.
Kate has contributed to improving the educational results of children in care by working for a number of private fostering firms.
Rebecca has been a teacher for over 20 years and is properly qualified.
Rebecca is an expert in assisting kids who are presenting with social, emotional, and mental health challenges to enter education successfully. She has worked in both mainstream and SEND settings.
Rebecca has experience in a variety of educational positions, including those of teacher, advisor to the mainstream, SENCo, and headteacher.
As executive head teacher, Rebecca is currently in charge of Compass Community Schools and a federal programme that assists looked-after youngsters in getting access to education.
Sam holds a master's degree in human resource management, is certified by the CIPD, and has spent the last 20 years developing her skills in an HR position.
This person started off in the marketing industry, moved on to work for a significant child protection charity, and then spent the last fifteen years working in social care, fostering, and residential placement as the director of an independent fostering and residential business.
Sam joined Compass in 2012 as part of its initial acquisition.
Ben is a graduate of the University of Kent in Canterbury with NVQ Levels 3 and 4 in Children and Young People, a level 5 NVQ Diploma in Management, and a Diploma in Law and Society.
Ben has worked in the care and education fields for 14 years.
This applies to students who arrive at Ferndearle with a statement requesting SEBD services as well as those who previously struggled with SEBD services. We feel that many students have failed to manage their education because of the instability of their former placement.
The majority of students stay at Ferndearle School either until they leave the neighborhood鈥攆or example, to go into foster care鈥攐r until they decide to become independent.
Young people who stay at Ferndearle after turning 16 are moved to our neighbourhood college and also participate in work placements.
As a part of Ferndearle Child Care Services, which provides a comprehensive array of Care, Education, and Therapy, the school is located.
All students have access to a sizable consultant clinical team that consists of a play therapist, a psychotherapist, two clinical psychologists, a speech and language therapist, and two psychiatrists.
With the Head of the School meeting with the Heads of Care and the Psychotherapist once a week, there is close integration across the three service strands.
Care staff (trained in therapeutic strategies) and the Home's Psychotherapist enable and support learning through daily or weekly liaison with school staff with care staff providing direct support in school when deemed necessary.
In order to advise educational professionals about students' emotional needs to assist learning, the psychotherapist also conducts training sessions with a focus on the students.
Read more
Read less