Highfurlong School, Blackpool
Highfurlong School caters to children and young adults aged 2 to 19 with physical disabilities, medical conditions, and complex learning or communication needs.
The school is part of Synergy Education Trust.
Highfurlong School is committed to equitable literacy education for all pupils and has developed a unique school-wide phonics and literacy scheme called Reading River across the setting. In the video interview below, you can hear Jasmine and Shelby speak about how they have embedded this school-wide approach, how they ensure high expectations for all of their pupils and the value they place on professional development for all staff.
Jasmine Short, Head of School
Shelby Mercer, Deputy Head of School
What does literacy look like at Highfurlong?
“For us, literacy for all means everybody taking part.”
Highfurlong School leaders
“You wouldn’t walk into a mainstream school and say, ‘That’s the red table and they don’t do reading and phonics.’”
Highfurlong School leaders
“We’ve got to think outside the box to find opportunities for them to access literacy in different ways.”
Highfurlong School leaders
“It’s just opening the voice for so many of our pupils.”
Highfurlong School leaders
“Once everyone sort of agrees that we are expecting that everybody can do it, I think that was the biggest change.”
Highfurlong School leaders
“If just one pupil leaves Highfurlong able to advocate for themselves because of all the changes we’ve made, then that’s enough.”
Highfurlong School leaders
