Case Studies: Medical

A short period learning in the Accipio School helped one young student to re-integrate back into mainstream school after suffering from a serious medical condition.

Charlie* was referred to her Local Authority’s Medical Needs Service in October 2006, having been diagnosed with Pre-pubertal Anorexia Nervosa three years earlier and having spent some time in a specialist clinic in London.  On her return, Charlie was placed under the care of the local Children’s Mental Health team.

At that time Charlie was on roll at the local high school and the aim was to re-integrate her gradually back into school.   The school tried various strategies and she attended some lessons in Art and ICT.    However, Charlie did not engage with the other students in the lessons, often sitting with her back to the rest of the group.

Charlie was referred to the Medical Needs Service with the aim of supporting the re-integration process and a Medical Needs Support Worker was assigned to work with Charlie to assess her ability to work with a tutor or to return to school.  However, Charlie would not communicate with the support worker and this lead to their withdrawal.

At this point a home teacher was asked to work with Charlie to try and build up a relationship with her over a longer period of time while she was being taught at home and in school.

By February 2007 it was obvious that little progress was being made towards re-integration and teaching was taking place entirely at home. It was at this point that e-learning was suggested to the family and Charlie and a parent were given a demonstration of the Accipio School.

A second home teacher (an SEN specialist) was introduced to provide additional support for Charlie and she began attending Accipio lessons on 14th May.  In the first few days her attendance was spasmodic but within a week she was attending every lesson and was actually enjoying the subjects she was studying, especially Science.

Three weeks later, Charlie told her mother that she would like to transfer to a new high school and try to attend with a fresh start.  She started at the new school at the beginning of July and attended the last three weeks of term.  It is hoped that the new term will see Charlie back in mainstream school full-time.

As with many other students, the Accipio School provided Charlie with a safe, controlled learning environment in which she was able to start to rebuild her self-confidence.  The virtual school was the stepping stone for her to re-engage with learning and to integrate socially and it quickly gave her the confidence to return to mainstream school.

*Not the student’s real name