Arbour Academy is a Pupil Health Referral Unit for pupils, resident in Salford, who are unable to access a full-time mainstream school placement due to short to medium term mental and physical health needs.
Pupils are dual registered with a mainstream school. As a PHRU, being a service not a school, Arbour Academy is unable offer long term, specialist provision for pupils with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP), but assists schools providing short to medium term support for a pupil with a plan, where there are additional needs, until a long-term placement can be found. This may include evidence gathering for an EHCP where a school wishes to see how a pupil responds to a smaller school setting.
It is not possible for individual parents to apply for their child to attend Arbour Academy. Places at Arbour Academy can be arranged by referral from local authorities, schools and medical consultants. In making a referral to Arbour Academy therefore, schools should have at least initiated a request for EHCP assessment or have evidence why an EHCP is not appropriate.
On admission to Arbour Academy a range of baseline assessments are completed including the Wide-Ranging Achievement Test (WRAT4) and Boxall Profile. These are used to identify the focus of our work as well as identify the pupil’s strengths. Ongoing staff observation may also inform the need for further assessment.
Each young person’s provision is bespoke to encourage them to re-engage with education, develop social skills and learn to manage issues related to their mental and/or physical health.
