We admit 30 students each year with a comprehensive and academically non-selective intake. We do not have a catchment area and take students from across Birmingham and its surrounding areas. Our admissions process does not demand a particular level of academic attainment to gain entry but we do ask that, students that want to come to us, are keen to learn.

Applications for admission to Orion are made through referral, interview and assessment in order to determine suitability and support needs. Student referrals can be made at any point during the academic year.

Information and support with admissions should be directed to:
Georgina.Mendez@orionschool.co.uk

Orion is committed to the highest standards in protecting and safeguarding the children and young people entrusted to our care.

This section of the website gives an overview of the policies and mechanisms that are in place to safeguard the children and young people that attend Orion. The full suite of current and ratified Safeguarding policies is available to interested parties on request. However, the key policies are freely available to all, and are clearly signposted, as appropriate, on this website.

Approach to Safeguarding

At Orion, we fully recognise our responsibility for safeguarding our students, with this in mind we will do everything within our power to:

  • Create an atmosphere where all our students feel secure, valued and listened to
  • Recognise signs and symptoms of abuse
  • Respond quickly, appropriately and effectively to cases of suspected abuse

The action we take at Orion to promote the welfare of our students and protect them from harm is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with our students and their families has a role to play and we recognise, and take our part very seriously in this. We ensure that we operate a child-centred safeguarding system. We recognise that children and young people want to be respected; have their views heard; to have stable relationships with their teachers, built on trust; and to have consistent support for their individual needs.

Designated Safeguarding Team at Orion

All staff are trained regularly on Child Protection Procedures. All applicants for employment at Orion will be fully vetted in accordance with DfE Guidelines Safeguarding Children: Safer Recruitment and Selection in Education Settings.

Elizabeth Caldicott – Designated Safeguarding Lead
Murett Mendez – Deputy Safeguarding Lead

Telephone: 07487-799-751 or 0121-245-7200 or find us in the school office.

Orion aims to provide all students with high-quality learning, set in a safe and harmonious environment, centred on driving aspiration and ambition, fostering self-determination and inspiring success.

To achieve this, we have to encourage and promote positive behaviour at all times and provide support to students whose behaviour may be unacceptable on occasion. By fostering respect, good manners and good behaviour, we achieve an environment in which learning is a pleasurable experience for all.

Orion celebrates difference and diversity and recognises that all students have differing needs. We therefore promote a culture of awareness, acceptance and inclusion. We believe that all students have skills, talents and abilities which we have the responsibility to develop further.

Meeting the needs of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) is a whole school responsibility and priority. Teachers and support staff aim to understand the needs of every student and thoroughly review the progress each student is making during lessons and over time.

Orion endeavours to meet the SEN needs of individual students by:

  • Identifying those students who have SEN as soon as possible
  • Providing interventions at a suitable level when a student is identified as having SEN
  • Using resources effectively to support students with SEN
  • Assessing and tracking the progress of students with SEN
  • Working with outside agencies that provide specialist support and teaching for students with SEN.

Orion has a comprehensive complaints procedure for students, staff, parents, professionals and members of the public.

We Endeavour to deal with all issues and complaints swiftly and professionally, in a sensitive and secure fashion for full details please see our complaints policy.

Complaints

Year 2019 -2020 – no Formal complaints received by Orion School.