Classroom
The structure of attending school and education is seen as an essential and important part of the programme.
Two teachers and a teaching assistant staff the classroom at Simmons House. They are employed by the London Borough of Haringey Children and Young People's Service. In common with psychiatric adolescent units in England and Wales the local Children's Service in which the unit is based takes responsibility for the recruitment, management and training of teaching staff.
Simmons House teaching staff is part of a larger provision with the Haringey Children and Young People's Service: Williams House Medical Needs Pupil Referral Unit based in Williams Grove, London N22 5NR. Ofsted inspected Williams House together with the classroom at Simmons House in May 2007. The report can be viewed on the Ofsted website:www.ofsted.gov.uk/ under ‘Williams House’. In the report the Classroom At Simmons House is referred to as CASH.
12 young people at Simmons House receive 12.5 hours of education during the week. Lessons begin at 9.15 am each morning when pupils are collected from the unit sitting room by teaching staff and escorted to the classroom. The first lesson finishes at 10.30 and the group return to the sitting room for a break and refreshments. Second lesson begins at 10.50 and ends at 11.45.
