Case Study: All Creatures Great and Small
DevonCombe Pafford caters for pupils with learning and physical difficulties aged eight to 19. Wooden Spoon’s donation meant the school could build the Animal Centre, where students can learn how to care for animals. Headteacher, Sally Banfield, shares what this means to the chidren and the teachers at the school:
“Our students all have a diagnosis of moderate learning difficulties, many also have autism and/or physical and sensory disabilities. Their challenges are mainly in their cognitive ability to learn and retain information.
“This, in conjunction with any autistic and physical needs, can make learning very hard for them. Normally, when children join us, they are working five years below their age-related peers. That said, when they leave us, this gap has shrunk a lot.
“All of our children will access and gain qualifications in Maths, English and Science – some at GCSE level, others at functional skills and entry level. We also offer animal care from Year 9, with our vocational taster sessions, right up to Year 12 and 13 for our sixth form students.
“The new animal centre really brings the subject and the care of the animas ‘alive’ for the students. We have been able to house a bigger range of animals in the purpose-built pods and cages. The heating units mean the students have many more animals and a wider variety to work with. “The fact that it feels ‘real’, and the range of animals they now have to work with, are the two main reasons the children love the animal centre so much. The students can handle the animals and have their learning classroom in the same space, it is hugely beneficial. The new room has really raised the profile of animal care in the school. The subject is now right in the middle of the school and children have to walk past it every day at breaktime and lunchtime.
“They can see the animals, and I am hopeful that the take-up of animal care for our Year 9 options will be positively increased because of the new room. “Without the funding from Wooden Spoon, the school would not have been able to afford to include the new animal care room in the new build. The funding allowed us to purchase the wonderful house/cages/pods for the wide range of animals we now have and install the state-of-the-art heating system that the animals need to live.
“Other nearby schools also use our animal care facilities to support their young people, allowing Combe Pafford to support other areas of our local community. “Our vocational facilities are the envy of most schools. We have a fully-functioning cafe, two garages, a hair design salon, a horticulture area and a construction yard; in addition to the animal care suite. Wooden Spoon have already generously donated to the car garage and the hairdressing salon. Without this support we simply wouldn’t have been able to develop the facilities that we have got.
“A huge part of the journey for students at Combe Pafford, is that they learn the skills, knowledge and experience that will allow them to gain meaningful employment when they leave us. Our vocational programme plays a huge part in this and the facilities we have are so important in this journey for them.”
Headteacher at Combe Pafford School, Sally Banfield: “A huge part of the journey for students at Combe Pafford, is that they learn the skills, knowledge and experience that will allow them to gain meaningful employment when they leave us.”