“See, I am sending an angel before you to protect you on your journey and lead you safely to the place I have prepared for you.” Exodus 23: 20

Welcome to The Ark, our specialist SEND provision for children between the ages of 4 and 11 who have additional social, emotional and mental health needs.

At St Michael's, we strongly believe in the importance of inclusion for all pupils.  This belief is at the heart of our SEND practice and drives our ambition to ensure pupils reach their full potential.  Everyone at St Michael's has the right to learn and achieve in a safe, caring environment where meeting all needs is a shared responsibility.

We are  committed to a whole-school approach towards providing an inclusive curriculum.  Therefore, we ensure that our staff are trained with the knowledge and skills required to effectively support all pupils.  Quality First Teaching is embedded within the practice of all staff, underpinned by extensive subject knowledge across the curriculum, thinking carefully about the needs of all pupils.

For pupils requiring additional support, small-group interventions are led by experienced staff; these interventions are closely monitored and their impact is evaluated regularly.  Where pupils require personalised provision, we draw on specialist knowledge in order to tailor their learning experiences so that they are given every opportunity to progress and succeed.

At St Michael's, we have an Inclusion Team to identify, support and monitor the needs of all pupils across school.  This team consists of the Headteacher (Mrs Jackson), the SENDCO and Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion (Miss MacDonald), the SEND Teacher (Mrs Wilkes) and Pastoral Support (Mrs Vann).  This team work closely to offer support for both SEND needs and social and emotional needs.

Our designated SEND Coordinator is Miss MacDonald who is responsible for:

• Co-ordinating the provision and support for children with SEND.
• Day to day operation of the schools’ SEND policy.
• Liaising with and advising fellow teachers/teaching assistants.
• Monitoring and supporting the writing and reviewing of IEP’s.
• Liaising with parents and external agencies.
• Contributing and arranging training for staff.
• Managing the procedure and provision for children with EHCPs.
• Co-ordinating the support for children with SEND.

What is the SEND Local Offer?

Local authorities, schools and other services set out a local offer of all services available to support children who are disabled or who have Special Educational Needs and their families. The local offer enables families to understand what services they can access and what support they can expect from a range of local agencies, including from the local authority, health services, schools, leisure services and the voluntary sector. The offer includes provision from birth to 25, across education, health and social care.  

Wolverhampton local offer provides information for parents and carers in regards to the SEND services in the local area. It provides details of specialist support for young children and their families.

Please click on the following link to access Wolverhampton's local offer.

Wolverhampton Local Offer | Wolverhampton Information Network

Home | Wolverhampton Information, Advice & Support Service (wolvesiass.org)

Opening of The Ark

In April 2022 we celebrated a new and exciting part of the St Michael's journey with the formal opening of The Ark.  We were absolutely delighted that Jay Blades of the BBC One show 'The Repair Shop' and the Mayor of Wolverhampton agreed to join us to formally open The Ark.  During the morning, Chris Allen of Wolverhampton Community Radio broadcast his 10am show from the school.  It was a truly fantastic morning.  Thank you to everyone involved.

'The Ark' logo was designed by Poppy, and the bible verse chosen by the Spiritual Council.  Olivia, helped the Spiritual Council to choose the verse from a set of of verses she had researched.