Vranch House is a centre for the treatment of over 2,000 outpatients with physical difficulties, a provider of various therapies throughout Devon and an independent Day School in Exeter for children with significant physical difficulties.

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Last updated: 28/03/2024

Parent's/Carer's Letter March 2017

Parent's/Carer's Letter March 2017

Date added: Sunday 2nd April 2017
Latest updated: Thursday 23rd February 2023

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back and I hope you and your families have had a fun and relaxing half term break!

Thank you to all those who have returned completed ‘Parent Questionnaires', I have gained some very useful feedback from these.  If you have not yet returned a questionnaire, but would still like to, please ask your child's class teacher for a copy and return once completed to me by the end of February please. Once I have compiled all the responses I will display the overall findings in main reception before the end of term.

The feedback I received through the Parent Governors at the most recent Governors meeting has been likewise valuable; I will be following up on some suggestions for making the Nursery area more welcoming, for example.  The Head of Therapies, Kate Moss, and I would like to re-state our genuine offer to you all: that we are more than happy to be contacted directly by Parents and Carers at any time throughout the year.  The sooner you let us know what you would like to see more or less of at Vranch House, the quicker we can respond and work with you to bring about further improvements in all we deliver as a School and Service.

The Teachers, Therapists and I have been working hard on the bespoke ‘Vranch House Individual Education and Wellbeing (VIEW)' Curriculum we are writing for our pupils here at Vranch House School.  The implementation and development of this curriculum marks a positive shift away from a national curriculum subject-driven approach to learning to one driven by pupil needs, abilities and interests.  I hope you all agree that a more child-centered and whole-child development model of education can only be a good thing.  Further details of this curriculum will follow shortly in our ‘Annual Report and Accounts' publication and will also become available on our website under ‘Information' > ‘Policies' > ‘Curriculum Policy'.  If you would like to discuss this new curriculum in the meantime please do email, call or come and see me.

Despite a seeming national shortage of experienced and skilled Specialist Speech & Language Therapists (SS<), we are extremely pleased to say our recent round of interviews have result in the highly qualified Michelle Weick.   Tracey Jones will be handing-over to Michelle over this next half term to ensure a full and complete transfer of information about all your amazing young people takes place.  Michelle has previously worked in SEN schools and has experience in working with using low tech and high tech Augmentative Alternate Communication (AAC) resources.  I hope you will join us in welcoming her to Vranch House where we are certain she will be a great asset to the team.

Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service - Home safety visit

Over 300 people die in fires every year. By agreeing to a home safety visit provided free of charge by the Fire Service, you can reduce the chance of becoming a victim of fire by up to 90%. The visit is free and is carried out by specifically trained technicians who provide advice, supply and fit equipment as required and cover escape plans. The visit is bespoke to the needs of the individuals who live in the property. It takes no longer than an hour and is booked at your convenience.

To book your visit or for advice, call; Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service; 0800 05 02 999

The second half of this term is set to be a busy one for all of us here at Vranch House and here are some events for your diaries:

  • Tuesday 28th February - Rare Disease Day (see www.rarediseaseday.org for details):
    • Coffee and Cake Sale at Vranch House, from 09.30am, with representatives from ‘Contact A Family' and ‘Face 2 Face' in attendance to give information and advice. (All proceeds from the Cake Sale to go to Children's Hospice South West, as they are a local charity caring for children with rare diseases)
    • Fancy Dress for pupils - the theme for Rare Disease Day this year is ‘Research', so how about a ‘mad scientist' or two? All other fancy dress welcome, as well as any donation you wish to make to Children's Hospice South West.

Pupils are encouraged to come to school with their favourite book and dressed as a character from that book, the staff will need no encouragement to do this I'm sure!

  • Wednesday 29th March - Whole School Trip to Pennywell Farm to conclude our whole school Topic Work this term of ‘Field to Fork'. The Charity has covered the entrance cost for pupils and parents, but we will be asking as many people as possible to make their own way to Pennywell Farm due to extremely limited spaces on our lone minibus.

More details will follow when the teachers and I have made all the final arrangements.

If not sooner, I hope to see you at the Coffee Morning and am looking forward to enjoying all the fun of the farm with you all on the 29th March.

Yours Faithfully,

Ian Norton

Head of Education