Welcome
Welcome to Esteem South Academy
Esteem South Academy is an alternative provision academy for pupils who have been, or are at risk of being, excluded from mainstream schools. Located in South Derbyshire, our main goal is to help disengaged, vulnerable children back into learning positively by creating a supportive and effective educational environment.
Our provision in Newhall caters for pupils in all Key Stages up to KS4. We are commissioned by the Derbyshire Local Authority to educate pupils at day 6 after a permanent exclusion (PEX). We aim for pupils to reintegrate to another school as soon as they are ready to do so. Parents are unable to elect our academy following the admissions process for Derbyshire, and as we are a short term intervention academy, we should not be named in section I of an EHCP.
Whilst the vast majority of our pupils have been permanently excluded, we will work closely with local school clusters and the local authority to provide opportunities for young people who are "at risk" of exclusion and offer dual registered placements through a service level agreement. Such placements can be successful in preventing permanent exclusions. We must always prioritise places for excluded pupils who have no school roll, but we are very proud of our dual registration offer and the success that these pupils have in our academy.
We believe all young people deserve the same high standards of education. We aim to give every pupil the knowledge, skills, and confidence they need to individually succeed. Whether a pupil returns to mainstream school, secures a special school place, or moves on to further education, training, or employment, we are here to help them re-engage and support them to be ready for their next steps. We encourage pupils to make appropriate respectful and responsible choices and aim to improve their resilience both academically and mentally.
Our Approach to Learning
Our teaching is personalised and focused on each pupil. Many of our pupils have special educational needs or have missed parts of their education. We use a range of strategies to help them, including:
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Small Class Sizes: We group pupils by Key Stage in secondary and teach in small classes. This allows our staff to give each pupil the personal attention they need. At primary, our pupils are allocated a class based on stage and not age.
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Targeted Interventions: We provide specific support for literacy and general well-being (Thrive).
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Life Skills and Employability: Our curriculum includes practical skills and job-related emphasis to writing a CV.
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Raising Aspirations: We work with organisations to connect pupils with employers and provide real-world experiences. This helps them identify their skills and goals.
By focusing on academic, social, emotional, and behavioural development, we help our pupils become more confident, well-rounded individuals ready for the next stage of their lives. We are proud to be part of the Esteem Multi-Academy Trust, working to be an excellent learning community for special educational needs (SEND) and alternative provision in the Midlands.
Academy Virtual Tour
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