Admissions are made via Blackburn with Darwen local authority, a child's mainstream school or consultant referral.

St Thomas’s Centre is a dual campus provision that works with pupils aged between five years to sixteen years. Upper school (Lambeth Street) caters for the year 9 to year 11 pupils, whilst lower school (Hawthorne Street) caters for year 1 to year 8 pupils. 

Thomas's Centre supports education at Royal Blackburn hospital.  St Thomas's Centre also provides education to pupils who are experiencing difficulties in mainstream settings due to medical or social, emotional and mental health needs.  All referrals are made by the mainstream school or directly from the Local Authority but need to be supported by a consultant.  Provision can consist of being taught in the community, in our Hub at Lower school or in classes based at both upper and lower school site.

Where appropriate, St Thomas's Centre is also the Local Authority’s registered school for pregnant pupils and young mothers.

To assist in the prevention of the exclusion of pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans/IPRAs, the statutory assessment team will work closely with schools to monitor individual pupil’s progress. The Local Authority has a legal responsibility to keep arrangements for pupils with SEN under review, including any changes to provision.  Schools are therefore requested to inform their SEN Officer immediately if the behaviour of a pupil.  The purpose of the review is to establish to what extent the pupil’s disaffection or unacceptable behaviours are arising from their special educational needs and to determine the next step. The review should explore if any other advice, strategies or changes could be put in place, which may then not necessitate a referral to St Thomas’s Centre.  However, in some instances the SEN team, mainstream school and parents might agree that it would be in the best interest of the pupils to refer the pupil to St Thomas’s Centre.  All referrals will be made by the mainstream school following the intervention protocols.  There will be an expectation that the mainstream school will involve their EP within six weeks.  Pupils will remain dual registered with their mainstream school as the mainstream school retains responsibility for monitoring the provision made for the pupil through close liaison with staff at St Thomas’s Centre.

Should St Thomas’s Centre be able to offer an intervention place, the mainstream school must attend an admissions meeting as well as the review meetings to ensure a successful transition back to the mainstream after the intervention place comes to an end. 

Please note: All In order to ensure pupils' continue to make the best academic progress whilst at St Thomas's Centre, pupils' work books in core subjects will be required from the referring school.

*Packages are currently under review.  Please use attached interim referral form. 

Please send all completed paperwork to Amanda Leaver

aleaver@stthomas.blackburn.sch.uk