Becton School is as unique as it is wonderful and as complex as it is caring. As a hospital school with a variety of provisions our aim is to ensure that all children, whatever their medical need, receive an outstanding education. We have four separate provisions and each provision works with a different cohort of students and each provision is based on a different site.

All of our students have health needs. The students at Sheffield Children’s Hospital are the most acutely unwell. Their offer involves both education sessions and therapeutic input. Because of their health needs, this is weighted more towards therapeutic sessions with fewer education sessions. The students at our Becton site are also inpatients but have chronic mental health difficulties. Their offer also involves both education sessions and therapeutic input. Because of their health needs, this is weighted with fewer therapeutic sessions with more education sessions. Our Chapel House students are Outpatients. Most have chronic mental health needs but some have health needs due to post-operative care or immunotherapy treatments. The Chapel House offer also involves both education sessions and therapeutic input. Because of their health needs, this is weighted with fewer therapeutic sessions still and more education sessions. All of our students are dual or guest registered. 

Our Becton site is based within the Becton Centre for Children and Young People, a residential Tier 4 CAMHs unit. The students here have complex and chronic mental health issues and are based in one of the four lodges. Amber Lodge is an assessment unit for KS1 and 2 students to diagnose their mental health difficulty. Ruby Lodge is also an assessment unit for students of all ages, who also have additional SEND needs. Emerald Lodge and Sapphire Lodge are general mental health wards and support students in recovering from their complex and chronic conditions in Key Stages 1-5. 

The Becton Centre is based in Beighton on the outskirts of Sheffield. The Centre incorporates an outpatient facility and an inpatient facility all housed in a single storey building. The Becton School facility is based within the inpatients section of the building and is accessed through the main reception to inpatients. The main school sits geographically between Emerald and Sapphire Lodges. The school consists of three general classrooms, a primary/nurture classroom, a DT/Art specialist room, An ICT room and a Food Technology/Kitchen area alongside staff offices. Outside there is an internal courtyard with bench seating and planting which students can access when the weather allows. The Ruby Lodge classroom sits within Ruby Lodge and is a small space where 1-1 lessons can take place. There is also a multi-purpose room and kitchen which students can use. Ruby Lodge has its own garden with swing and trampoline which are used for outdoor learning. The Amber Lodge classroom is based within Amber Lodge which is in the Outpatient part of the building. There is a large primary classroom with access to a secure outside area which is used for outdoor learning. There is an additional room that can be used for interventions such as Lego Therapy. In addition there is a playground area which Amber Lodge students use and is sometimes used for interactive lessons.

At Sheffield Children’s Hospital, teaching is offered to all school age children from age 5 - 16 who are in hospital for more than three days. The medical needs here vary greatly, from students who have suffered an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI), or have regular admissions due to Cystic Fibrosis, to those who are receiving treatment for Cancer.

The classroom at Sheffield Children’s Hospital is based on the Oncology ward and is available only to students who are inpatients or day patients of the ward due to the nature of their illness. Most other teaching at SCH occurs bedside. Children are occasionally taught in group rooms in the hospital when this is possible and appropriate. The hospital school offices are centrally located in the hospital, turning right from the main outpatient reception area on A floor.

Chapel House is a specialised provision, commissioned under Service Level Agreement by Sheffield Local Authority, to support children and families with medical needs who are judged too unwell by medical professionals to attend their named school or other provision. Teaching is offered to all school age children from 5 to 16 and they are taught in the most appropriate way whether that be 1:1 in their own home or within a group at Chapel House.

Chapel House is based in Hillsborough, near to the centre of Sheffield. Chapel House is located on the Hillsborough Barracks complex in a converted Chapel which was built in the 1850s. The building is Grade 2 listed and comprises of a reception, five medium sized classrooms, staff room, meeting room, kitchen and offices in the main chapel along with a large mezzanine common room for the students.  In addition there is an annex building accessed through the ground floor kitchen with two further classrooms: A specialist Science and prep room and a small Food Technology classroom. We moved into Chapel House in June 2021 after completing a full renovation of it in the Spring Term.

Becton School is committed to promoting a lifelong love for reading and books. We promote positive attitudes to reading across the school, by cultivating the behaviours that children need to become discerning readers. Children are encouraged to read frequently and widely, and to discuss what they read. Reading lies at the heart of our curriculum and children are given opportunities to read in English lessons, and across the wider curriculum. More information about how we promote reading for pleasure can be viewed here

During Key Stages 1 and 2, virtually all students study: English, Mathematics and Personal Development (Formerly known as PHSE - Personal, Social, Health Education), which incorporates Religious Education, Citizenship and fundamental British values, life skills and communication and language development, and social and emotional aspects of learning. At Key Stage 1, phonics and early reading are taught through the systematic synthetics programme Read Write Inc. More information about the teaching of phonics at Becton can be viewed here

In addition, during Key Stages 1 & 2, students at Amber Lodge benefit from a thematic topic-based approach based upon National Curriculum requirements: this often includes Science, Humanities and Computing.

In addition, during Key Stage 2, students at Ruby Lodge and Emerald Lodge benefit from a personalised approach to the National Curriculum and the Engagement Model, including appropriate therapeutic sessions, such as Art Therapy and Occupational Therapy.

During Key Stages 3 & 4, virtually all students study: English, Mathematics and Personal Development, which incorporates Religious Education, Citizenship and fundamental British values, RSHE (Relationships and Sex and Health Education), life skills and communication and language development, and social and emotional aspects of learning.

In addition, during Key Stages 3 & 4, students at Ruby Lodge, Emerald Lodge (Key Stage 3 only) and Sapphire Lodge (Key Stage 4 only) benefit from a personalised approach to the National Curriculum and the Engagement Model, including appropriate therapeutic sessions, such as Art Therapy and Occupational Therapy.

In addition, during Key Stage 3, students at Emerald Lodge study: Science, ICT and/or Computer Science and Humanities.

In addition, during Key Stage 4, students at Sapphire Lodge study a CIEAG (Careers Information, Education, Advice and Guidance) curriculum informed by the Gatsby benchmarks.

In addition, during Key Stages 3 & 4, students at Chapel House study:  Science, and Enrichment activities. During Key Stage 4, students at Chapel House also study Preparation for Working Life and some study Health & Social Care.

Becton School also teaches students 1-1 at both Sheffield Children's Hospital and in some cases at Chapel House and in some cases remotely. All 1-1 lessons are bespoke and tailored to meet the individual needs of the student. Most students are offered one session per day, but this may change according to medical needs. We have specialist Primary, SEND, English, Mathematics and Science teachers in both our Hospital and Outreach teams. We also deliver non-specialist lessons as supported by the student's main school. At Sheffield Children's Hospital we also have a specialist STEM teacher on the team.

Throughout Becton School all students within an Education Health and Care Plan have an Individual Education Plan with activities and approaches directly linked to outcomes in their EHCP. We work closely with young people and their families to support all students in their personal development.

In all settings across Becton School our curriculum is designed to prepare all students for a wide range of occupations and further study. In addition, it prepares all students for adulthood and to access the wider world. Therefore, our curriculum supports all students in developing a wide range of competences. The knowledge and skills taught are broad and balanced with learning and resourcing accessible to any students, whatever their age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation. The current Nexus MAT Equality and Diversity Policy further supports our approach.

As an education provider we enrol students for accreditation on a range of courses and adhere to the principles set out by the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) in the document ‘Access Arrangements and Reasonable Adjustments: General and Vocational qualifications’. We follow these guidelines when assessing the needs of individual students who may require an access arrangement or reasonable adjustment. This document is published on the JCQ website at jcq.org.uk.

Students in Key Stage 4 across the range of provision at Becton School have the opportunity to be accredited in the following courses:

• GCSE English Language
• GCSE English Literature [Chapel House and Becton]
• Functional Skills English (Entry Level, Level 1 and Level 2)
• GCSE Mathematics (Foundation and Higher)
• Functional Skills Mathematics (Entry Level, Level 1 and Level 2)
• Edexcel Maths Awards [Chapel House only]
• GCSE Combined Science: Trilogy
• ELC Entry Level Certificate Science
• UAS Unit Award Scheme Science
• Arts Award 
• WJEC Preparing for Working Life (Entry Level Award and Certificate) [Chapel House only]
• ASDAN 

At the Becton Centre for Children and Young People, students are admitted up to the age of 18 and the school offers support to those students that are studying at post-16. The aim of all our 16-19 study programmes is to help prepare students for further education, training, employment and adult life. There are three main pathways of study, all bespoke, always flexible, depending on student need, length of admission and time of admission during an academic year.

1. For students already enrolled with another post-16 provider, we offer to support them in continuing with their original programme of study. We identify and liaise with the best ‘named’ person from their college or sixth form and keep regular contact, providing updates on the progress the student is making.

2. For those not enrolled with another post-16 provider, we offer a programme of study where students can select from a range of accredited and non-accredited courses, identified in our Post 16 Prospectus and outlined here. 

3. We can also offer a bespoke combination of support that allows students to fulfil components of study from both their main registered post-16 provider and the Becton Centre.

There are some students, who do not access education due to the severity of their physical or mental ill health. In line with the Participation Statutory Guidance, article 50, young people are still meeting their duty to participate in these circumstances and we as a provider in partnership with the local authority ensure that mechanisms to support their return to education are in place.

a) We aim to support all students who access our provision to fulfil substantial academic and applied qualifications as their ‘core aim’. This may be to facilitate the study of courses where students are enrolled with another post-16 provider or for courses selected from our suite of options at the Becton Centre.

b) We provide English and Maths programmes for those students who have not achieved a Grade 4 at GCSE. Students with a Grade 3 at GCSE will study towards GCSE qualifications. Students with a Grade 2 or below will study towards Functional Skills Level 2 or GCSE qualifications. For those students with more complex needs, who are exempt from standalone qualifications, appropriate numeracy and literacy is included in the programme of study.

c) Where a student is able, we endeavour to secure some form of meaningful work experience to be completed within their programme of study.

d) All students have access to a broad range of non-qualification activities and experiences including: regular individual pastoral and educational needs support, CEIAG, PSHE, short courses (health and hygiene, first aid, health and safety, driving skills) and our exciting and enriching Becton 25 challenge days.

For further details about our curriculum offer at Becton School, please contact:

• Emily Martin (Assistant Headteacher) at the Becton Centre, Sheffield Children’s Hospital and Chapel House - emartin@nexusmat.org

Please click on the headings below to see more details of our planning

• Becton Centre
• Chapel House
• 1-1, Remote and Bedside Teaching (Outreach and Sheffield Children's Hospital)

Please click here to view our Quality of Education Principles