Support

Support from Special Schools

The SHARES Lancashire group benefit from having two outstanding special schools within the cluster that offer support on a wide range of issues to our mainstream schools. Elm Tree school, as an SEBD school, specialises in social, emotional and behavioural issues whilst Kingsbury School specialises in generic learning difficulties, covering Complex Learning Difficulties and Disabilities, Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Significant Learning Difficulties and Moderate Learning Difficulties.

Wider support for Schools and Head Teachers

As well as everything that has been discussed on this update the SHARES group also provides other, individual setting and needs led, support. This could be through brokering school to school support in partnership with the Teaching School or supporting a new head teacher that has come into the town.

The formal and also informal support networks that SHARES provide for all school staff has been well recognised and we now have schools from outside the area looking to join in with many elements of what the cluster provides. Some staff, having experienced the level of cooperation and support offered through a cluster like SHARES, move to other areas and they often look to see how they can get their new school to take part in some of the activities of the SHARES cluster.

The benefits of a cluster approach to raising educational standards in our area is highlighted by all the SHARES schools being graded as Good or Outstanding by Ofsted, at a time of many extreme challenges for schools, both academically and financially. We have been working closely as a cluster since 2010 and Lancashire County Council is now pushing schools to work together as clusters as the benefits are clear. It’s great for Skelmersdale and Upholland that we have been ahead of the game and reaping the rewards of partnership working for many years.

Finally, it’s worth noting that our many developments to support children and families has been praised and celebrated by Ofsted, the Local Education Authority, TES and The National College of Teaching and Learning.

If you would like more information, you can find our contact details below⬇️

???? 01695 729 897 ???? info@shareslancashire.co.uk