Learning techniques, trusted relationships and improved self-regulation have all helped a young person at our High Peak School overcome his learning challenges, enjoy school and make friends.

When Max* first came to High Peak School he initially struggled to settle into school and to adjust to the routine. He found it difficult to build relationships, didn’t interact with peers and would only work with a very small number of staff members. He frequently struggled and would go into a crisis situation with behavioural incidents.

This meant he was missing lessons and was out of class on a regular basis. In turn he was struggling with maths as a subject and also with being able to complete work in the classroom. Eventually, the challenges for Max became so great that he began doing his work in a room separate from the class. It was a change which worked and since then, Max has made amazing progress both in his educational subjects, but also in his personal development.

With renewed confidence and the right support in place, Max was able to successfully transition back into a classroom with other young people and there has been a significant decrease in his number of negative incidents.

This is partly due to Max learning to trust and work with a wider variety of members of the team. He has also really taken an interest in learning different techniques to help him self-regulate and how to talk about his feelings to people he trusts. This can help him engage in school and learning whilst feeling calm and happy.

Previously Max didn’t interact much with his peers and mainly spoke to adults. However, recently Max has been playing with the other children in his class and taking an interest in how everyone is, asking questions about their lives and being more confident in approaching other children.

Max’s Maths, amongst many other subjects, has improved massively. Maths used to be a subject he refused to engage with and would avoid if he could. Now, however, he is keen to understand and complete his Maths work and is working at a much higher level compared to last year.

We are delighted with his progress and very proud of his on-going achievements. Well done to Max and the team around him at High Peak School.

Get in contact on 0800 024 6985 or [email protected] to discover more about the amazing opportunities for young people at High Peak.