Page 3 - Crestwood Park Primary School

Moving schools can be a risk, but Claire believes that moving her children to Crestwood Park Primary School was deinitely a risk worth taking
An excellent school for additional needs
Kieran was diagnosed with autism in early 2014
and Claire was not happy with the support on
ofer at the school he was attending. “I really felt
his needs weren’t being met. I’d heard from others that Crestwood Park Primary School was excellent
at supporting children with additional needs,” explains Claire. “When I spoke to the Headteacher at Crestwood Park, I knew instantly moving schools was the right thing to do. She listened to all my issues, to her they were all resolvable. She gave me hope!”
When Claire visited Crestwood Park Primary School these positive feelings were immediately reinforced. “All of the things we had been experiencing as problems were not problems to Crestwood Park. I knew Kieran would be treated as a little boy with additional needs who needed nurturing rather than a boy whose behaviour wasn’t good.”
First class support
Claire was thrilled with how quickly resources were put in place to help Kieran settle in. “For any child moving schools, especially mid-year, can be a big upheaval but even more so for children with autism, so we were expecting some diiculties. Also I was seven months pregnant with Rhys so that was another imminent change for Kieran, but he settled far quicker than we anticipated.”
Wonderful resources
Claire believes this was thanks to the wonderful support Kieran received right from the beginning. “He was immediately made to feel like he mattered. He was given a quiet, calming area and some ear defenders to help him with noisy situations and also some visual aids. He’s dinosaur mad so as many resources as possible were used featuring dinosaurs;
and he had excellent one to one support from a teaching assistant. I really can’t fault the things they did to help the transition. They were so encouraging.”
Teamwork and reassurance
For Claire the reassuring staf have been instrumental in the family’s positive experience of the school. “The staf work together as a team and ensure that you are part of that team. For a parent, of any child, but especially a child with additional needs, it’s exactly what you want.”
Claire adds: “Lacey struggled to settle initially - it was obviously an upheaval for her too - but the teachers buddied her up with certain people to ensure she had someone to play with and went that extra mile to nurture her too.”
Every child matters
Claire adds: “Every single child matters at Crestwood Park Primary School. It’s an amazing school that has its motto at heart. At Crestwood Park they really do support children to be the best they can be so that they can achieve all that they deserve.
“If you’re considering Crestwood Park Primary School, please do go in and visit. You only need to walk into the school to see exactly what I mean.”
Claire and Matthew Bradley live in Pensnett with their children Kieran, nine, in Year 4, Lacey, six in Year 1 and Rhys, one.
Children say:
Kieran says: “I love the school trips at Crestwood Park Primary School!”
Lacey says: “I love lots of things about school. I’ve made some really nice friends!”
www.crestwood-p.dudley.sch.uk 3