Catcote Academy is a special needs school/college in Hartlepool catering for students aged between 11yrs and 25yrs with varying Learning Difficulties or Disabilities (LDD).
Catcote Academy is made up the following departments:
- Catcote Academy secondary for students aged 11yrs – 16years
- Catcote Sixth Form for students aged 16yrs – 19yrs
- Catcote Futures for young people aged 19yrs – 25yrs
- Catcote Life Long Learners for young adults aged 25yrs+
As the only secondary special school/college in Hartlepool we cater for all learning disabilities including: Moderate (MLD), Severe (SLD), Profound and Multiple (PMLD) and complex learning difficulties (CLD).
We also meet the needs of students with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Social Emotional Mental Health (SEMH).
The Academy is committed to providing a friendly atmosphere where students can fulfill their potential, grow in confidence and above all be happy. Our curriculum and philosophies proved the opportunities for academic and social development that will enhance the life opportunities for our young people as they move into the adult world.
At Catcote Academy we acknowledge that teaching and learning can take place beyond the boundaries of the classroom with timetabled session in Life Skills and Employability to allow for access to their local community and local business’s.
Catcote Sixth Form has implemented a new study programme over the last two years for its Post 16 learners, which concentrates on Life Skills for independent living skills ` and Employability for real life work skills.
The students have really enjoyed the new curriculum and have thrived in the work based learning areas with in Catcote Academy as well as a smaller number of students accessing work placements based within local employers such as
- The Vestry
- Footprints Day Nursery
- Ready Steady Grow Nursery
- Sweet Peas Garden Centre
- Liberties Café
- Cafe 177
With the recent employment of CIAG Officer/Employer engagement coordinator Jackie McGarry more time has been given to the development the work placement part of the programme and employer engagement.
Working closely with the Academies Sixth Form Lead Amanda Metcalf they have worked in the community engaging with employers and raising the profile of Catcote Academy.
One employer Jasper Maudsley who owns 10 franchises for McDonald’s cane to visit Catcote and was very impressed with the tour and the students he spoke to.
Following this visit Jasper suggested Amanda & Jackie had an ‘Insight Day’ working in the MacDonald’s restaurant on the Hartlepool Marina on Sunday 5th of June 2016.
This was a full 8am – 4pm shift working on all aspects of the restaurant. This was such a valuable tool to further assess and best match students to the relevant jobs and activities they could do if they gained a placement in MacDonald’s.
The teams were extremely welcoming and extremely patient with two ‘newbies’ on board.
“The term ‘ flipping burgers for a living’ is so far from the actual work which goes on behind the scenes I was given a whole new perspective on the job” stated Amanda Metcalf.
“I was amazed by some of the skills the MacDonald’s staff had to possess and the friendly team atmosphere everyone contributed too from the shop crewe up over to the top with the owner himself, Jasper Maudsley”.
This experience made me think about my own train of thought, as I sometime become frustrated with community views of special needs, as again this can be a preconceived idea of being ‘unable to work’ or a ‘burden in the workplace’. “If I want to change perception of special needs in the work force then my perception of certain kinds of jobs needs to changer also, which working for the day in Macdonald’s certainly did.”
Jackie McGarry felt that “this kind of ‘job carving’ had been so useful with helping us as Catcote staff to match students to jobs and being aware of what a job involve first hand.” She said, “Catcote students just want a chance to prove themselves capable of doing the job and employers to recognise there is a viable work force in Catcote Academy.”
Students will now visit Macdonald for a ‘taster day’ with a view to beginning a work placement for 1 day per week in September for the academic year as part of their personalized Post16 Study Programme.
Moving forward with this ‘Insight Day’ programme Amanda & Jackie will be working ‘shifts’ in the following business.
- J& B Recycling
- Ashbank Laundry
- Hartfields Retirement Village
- The Grand Hotel
- The Mecca Bingo
If any other local business’s feel they would like to be part of this programme please get in touch with either;
Amanda Metcalf- ametcalf@hpoolcatcote.org.uk
Jackie McGarry – jmcgarry@hpoolcatcote.org.uk
Tel No 01429 264036
