Admission to St Thomas’s Centre is only possible if your child has been referred to us from either Blackburn with Darwen or from a Mainstream School.  St Thomas’s Centre in not a school of parental choice.  St Thomas’s Centre is based on two sites (Lambeth street and Hawthorn street), we cater for pupils in year 1 to year 11, aged 5 to 16. 

Permanently Excluded Pupils:

St Thomas’s Centre provides education for pupils who are permanently excluded from their mainstream school and serves the Blackburn with Darwen areas.  Referrals for permanently excluded pupils come via the Local Authority.

Following the head teacher’s decision to permanently exclude, the excluded pupil is offered a place at St Thomas’s Centre (if they reside within Blackburn with Darwen). 

After a period of assessment, St Thomas’s Centre will decide if a pupil is ready for reintegration to a mainstream setting.  St Thomas’s Centre will meet with parents and pupil to complete the BwD School admissions form for permanently excluded children.  

For further information please see the Blackburn with Darwen Reintegration Protocol at the bottom of this page.

Medical Referral Form and Supporting Documents:

St Thomas's Centre supports education at Royal Blackburn hospital.  St Thomas's Centre also provides education to pupils who are experiencing difficulties in mainstream settings due to medical or social, emotional and mental health needs.  All medical referrals need to be supported by a consultant’s letter.  The letter needs to identify the medical need as well as the current treatment plan, it also needs to state why a referral to St Thomas’s Centre is being supported.  Provision can consist of being taught in the community, in our Hub or in classes on either sites.  Should St Thomas’s Centre be able to offer a medical place, the mainstream school must attend an admissions meeting as well as the review meetings to ensure a successful transition back to the mainstream after the placement comes to an end.  Pupils will remain dual registered with their mainstream school.  When a pupil is discharged from medical professionals it will end the medical placement too.    

A referral form can be downloaded below and should be fully completed and e-mailed to the address on the form; together with a range of background information listed on the form.    

Intervention Programme and Referrals from Mainstream Schools:

Mainstream can refer pupils who are residents of Blackburn with Darwen for an Intervention place, if they are experiencing behavioural difficulties and who may be at risk of permanent exclusion.  Intervention places are dependent on the school's capacity with Statutory pupils (Permanently Excluded and Medical pupils) and they are at the discretion of the Headteacher.  Unless the pupil is in year 6 or year 11, an intervention package lasts for approximately 6 weeks and pupils are required to remain dual-rolled.  Should St Thomas’s Centre be able to offer an intervention place, the mainstream school must attend an admissions meeting as well as the review meetings to ensure a successful transition back to the mainstream after the intervention place comes to an end.  St Thomas’s Centre will offer transition support back to the mainstream school where appropriate.    

St Thomas’s Centre do not accept referrals from mainstream schools for pupils with EHCPs unless the Local Authority, who has a legal responsibility to keep arrangements for pupils with SEN under review, including any changes to provision, has agreed to the referral.  There is an expectation that schools have followed the graduated response, involved the appropriate advisory teams and hold an early review prior to considering a referral to St Thomas’s.  Should St Thomas’s Centre be able to offer an intervention place, the mainstream school must attend an admissions meeting as well as the review meetings to ensure a successful transition back to the mainstream after the intervention place comes to an end.  Pupils will remain dual-rolled with their mainstream school as the mainstream school retains responsibility for monitoring the provision made for the pupil through close liaison with staff at St Thomas’s Centre.

A referral form can be downloaded below and should be fully completed and e-mailed to the address on the form; together with a range of background information listed on the form.  St Thomas’s Centre have Intervention Admissions panel meetings every fortnight.

Attendance:

At St Thomas’s Centre we expect pupils to attend every day.  The placement will commence after induction and once the pupil starts their provision.  Should the pupil not attend the initial start date this will be rescheduled 3 times before the referral is ended.  Where a pupil does not attend school for 10 consecutive days the package will end.

What is “good” attendance?

Anything less than 100% attendance means that pupils are missing out on their education.

Did you know?

90% attendance = missing 1 day per week OR 1 whole month a year off school.

All pupils are expected on the school site for a 8.45am start.

St Thomas's Centre will provide breakfast and lunch to all pupils.

Any pupils arriving after 9am will be marked as late.

A copy of the full policy is available on request from the school office.

Uniform:

For pupils with us on a long-term basis, uniform should be as below. For pupils who are with us on short term intervention, the uniform of their mainstream school can be worn.

School Meals and Packed Lunches:

School meals are provided by our on-site school cook, who prepares fresh meals daily.  School meals are included in the package.  Pupils may bring packed lunches, but as a healthy school we ask that this is a healthy packed lunch.  Please note that St Thomas’s Centre is a nut free school.

Please note:

• All In order to ensure pupils' continue to make the best academic progress whilst at St Thomas's Centre, pupils' work books in core subjects will be required from the referring school.

Cost of packages will be changing from the 1st of January 2024