Pupil Charter

I HAVE THE RIGHT…

• To be taught in an exciting, stimulating, enjoyable and caring environment,

• To some fun,

• To be given time to be listened to,

• To be allowed my own time and space,

• To have notice taken of my age but not to the exclusion of my other needs,

• To your patience,

• To your respect,

• To say no,

• To your respect for my parents/carers and to hear only positive comments regarding them,

• To expect no jokes or disparaging comments at my expense,

• To your complete attention whenever being worked with during the school day,

• Not to have my lessons interrupted unless there are exceptional circumstances,

• To expect you to take every opportunity to help me understand the world,

• To be viewed not as a pmld child but as a child who has profound learning difficulties – I am a person first and have learning difficulties second,

• To be taught in a quiet, structured and calm atmosphere,

• Not to be spoken about with no reference to my being there,

• To privacy and respect when my personal needs are being seen to,

• To time to enjoy an activity and to learn from the situation without being rushed,

• To a good quality education – but I am not only here to “achieve my full potential”,

• To have my food presented in an appetising way, even though it may need mashing to enable me to eat it,

• To be offered a drink at reasonable intervals throughout the day as sometimes I get very thirsty,

• To take my time when having a drink or a meal as these are just as important to me as the other things I do in school,

• To be positioned in a variety of good ways during the school day,

• To be given the opportunity to be occupied,

• To have my personal preferences recognised,

• To be given choices whenever possible,

• Not to be regarded as difficult or as a problem,

• To expect your concentration to be of such a level that you will usually notice any initiatives I may make,

• To expect your attention, and company, often during the day – not only when I achieve something or when I am being ‘good’,

• To expect a certain level of routine and consistency of staff in order to give an ordered world to relate to,

• Always to be told what is about to happen to me and why – don’t just suddenly yank me into a wheelchair or suddenly stick a spoon in my mouth,

• To expect you not to get exasperated with me even if I am having a bad day – I will not always be able to take advantage of the learning situations you present me with because of the way I am feeling,

• To care and thought being taken over the music being played in the classroom. Please avoid constant background music, I like it occasionally but often like to listen to ordinary everyday sounds,

• To feel safe and secure in my classroom,

• To work and play alongside people of a similar age no matter their or my learning difficulties,

• To be encouraged to show others the same consideration that I would expect for myself.