The Beacon
SEMH Base

Welcome to The Beacon for Social, Emotional, Mental Health Needs.

Beacon

As part of the Local Offer, Norfolk County Council commissioned the establishment of SEMH Bases at mainstream schools around the County. Here at Mundesley Infant and Junior School, we host an SEMH Base which caters for children of Primary School age who exhibit difficulties in managing their behaviour, or may struggle with understanding their emotions. Our SEMH Base works with mainstream schools in the North, Broadland and Eastern regions of the county.

The aim of the SEMH Base is to offer short term provision and intervention, support and advice, or a combination of the two. Our focus is to work in partnership with home schools, pupils and their parents through support and intervention to enable pupils to return to mainstream education, by improving their ability to emotionally self-regulate and improve the pupils' mental health.

The purpose-built building has two classrooms, a practical area, a kitchen and calming, sensory areas. Smaller class sizes, higher staffing ratios, an educational psychologist and a family learning team all aim to provide early support.

Each child will have their own personalised plan to support them with goals, these will be changed every half term to ensure a bespoke placement for each child. There will be regular reviews of this plan during the placement. During the placement, the amount of time each child spends back in their home school will increase. The plan will include a reintegration package to support the child’s return to their home school on a full-time basis.

The SEMH Base is staffed by a Head of the Beacon Base, Assistant Head, Lead Teacher for KS2 and three teaching assistants.

The SEMH Base classes are Key Stage 1 - Otter Class and Key Stage 2 - Badger Class.

The Beacon SEMH Base Values:

·       To be beacons of excellence in inclusive education which is underpinned by a child centred approach and informed by an evidence based approach.

·       To model a therapeutic evidence based approach through building and promoting networks of good practice.

·       To promote understanding of the view that effective leadership and management at all levels is pivotal for schools to meet the needs of all children.