Staff within the education team at Hillside Secure Children’s Home have developed a strong approach to partnership working with the residential team, clinical team and partner school to drive improvements in provision and learner outcomes.

There is strong daily communication between the education, residential and clinical teams. This ensures a consistent level of support for learners and allows education staff to adapt sessions to keep learners safe and engaged.

Since the time of the last inspection partnership working across the centre has improved. For example, the education and residential teams have collaborated successfully to improve attendance in education. There is positive collaboration across the centre to support learners from when they arrive until they leave.

Teachers at Hillside Secure Children’s Home use a range of practical learning experiences to successfully engage learners in their learning. The centre benefits from a range of valuable resources to support this approach including a design and technology classroom, gym, yoga suite, coffee shop, teaching kitchen, multi-skills room, music room and salon.For example, in design and technology lessons learners learn how to engrave resin blanks to cast in pewter. They learn how to use hand tools confidently as well as the safety requirements for working with hot metal. Learners can confidently describe how they can improve their work and they have high expectations of themselves. They make clear progress in the development of their practical skills, from basic carpentry joints to electronics and jewellery making. Their progression can be measured over time through the quality of what they have produced.