The Woodlands

About us

The Woodlands provides specialist full time provision for pupils from reception to year six who have severe and complex communication, interaction and/or cognition and learning needs.

The Woodlands offers full-time places and serves as a specialised resource-base and SEND Unit provision. It provides pupils with an intensive immersion in specialised communication and interaction and cognition and learning strategies, which are encompassed through highly differentiated curriculum pathways, in order to meet the individual needs of pupils.

The environment is carefully structured to ensure it is a safe and communication friendly place to be. Pupils are grouped developmentally across three classrooms named Otters, Badgers and Hedgehogs.

Our aim is to prepare pupils for life enabling them to thrive in an educational setting and beyond. To support this aim, we expose pupils to as many curriculum opportunities as possible which may include integration into a mainstream curriculum offer. We achieve this by ensuring that the pupils access an appropriate curriculum pathway that is delivered at a pitch that meets individual needs.

Learning experiences are highly differentiated, supported by a rich variety of visual and practical resources that enhance engagement and promote meaningful progress. The curriculum is further strengthened by a diverse range of communication and interaction strategies, all designed to empower pupils and ensure every child has a ‘voice’.

What we offer

Our aim is to prepare pupils for life in mainstream education as soon as we feel it is appropriate for them. To support this aim, we expose pupils to as many mainstream curriculum opportunities as possible.

We achieve this by ensuring that the mainstream curriculum is delivered at a pitch that meets individual needs whilst also giving careful consideration to each pupil’s diverse speech and language difficulties. Learning experiences are highly differentiated with lots of visual and practical resources used to enhance and enable effective learning and progress to be made.

Pupil’s speech and language targets are embedded in learning activities throughout the school day. Liaison meetings between teaching staff and the Speech and Language Team (SALT) are held half-termly to ensure there is a consistent approach to helping pupils to make progress and plan next steps. Where staff feel it is appropriate, pupils are integrated into their mainstream classes for a variety of subjects. These can be either core or non-core subjects dependant on the pupil’s needs and abilities. In this way, pupils are exposed to the language and pace of a mainstream classroom supported by a member of The Woodlands, if this is needed.

Attending The Woodlands

Following the referral and admissions process pupils who were offered a place at The Woodlands attend the setting full time and transfer to the role of Hob Green Primary School. They become a fully included member of our school community and opportunities provided are equivalent to those offered to their mainstream peers.

More information about The Woodlands can be found on the Dudley Metropolitan Council website via Dudley’s local offer. Please click the link to find out more: Dudley Local Offer | Dudley Council

Find out more about The Woodlands