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Part of the Keys Education family
It is a pleasure to welcome you to Unity College.
We offer educational provision for children placed in care homes within the Cross Regional Project in Buckinghamshire, Oxford, Milton Keynes and Hertfordshire who are aged between 11 years to 19 years.
All the children that attend the school are Looked After Children with space for up to 36 students on-site. Unity College are committed to providing a broad and ambitious curriculum that offers students the chance to access learning that will benefit them beyond the school. Alongside this our Values incorporate the following key headings “Unique, Nurturing, Inspire, Tolerance and Your route to a fulfilling future” and are embedded in the practice, ethos and outcomes in school to enhance their learning opportunities.
Our educational curriculum provides two different learning pathways giving students a chance to move between curriculums depending on progress, needs or to support times of crisis. Both curriculums utilise the National Curriculum and offer qualifications that include Functional Skills, BTEC, Trinty Awards, Duke of Edinburgh and ASDAN with the Formal Curriculum also offering GCSE options.
Our school has an inclusive ethos for which students can join us throughout the school year and may often have experienced periods of disrupted learning or time out of school. We adapt our teaching and offer interventions to support the needs of our pupils with universal, targeted and individualised approaches that allow them to thrive, both academically and socially.
Unity College supports young people with social, emotional, and mental health (SEMH) needs which can include additional needs such as autism spectrum conditions (ASC), social communication difficulties, and associated learning difficulties. Some children have EHCP’s, within the school, but not all children.
We support emotional development by utilising a Positive Behaviour Approach, PACE and Zones of Regulation. The approaches, teamed with our interventions, create a framework in which the students within Unity College develop and thrive.
Our school governing body, led by our Chair of Governors, is a strong and supportive team who take an active interest in all aspects of the school and pupil progression.
Headteacher
Unity College stands out due to its therapeutic model, offering a safe, secure, and friendly environment for pupils. As part of the Keys Group, we provide placements for students who live in nearby Keys Group homes. To effectively meet the diverse needs of our young people, we maintain a high staff-to-pupil ratio, typically with no more than four pupils per class. Each class is staffed by at least one teacher and an educational support worker (ESW), ensuring that every student receives the support they need to succeed.
Our motto, "A route to a fulfilling future," reflects our commitment to providing a nurturing environment with a therapeutic approach that helps pupils become emotionally available for learning. We aim to engage students with a relevant, accessible, and appropriately challenging curriculum tailored to meet their individual needs at all levels.
We support pupils aged 11 to 18 years who experience social, emotional, and mental health difficulties (SEMH) and require a smaller, more nurturing educational placement to achieve their academic potential.
At Unity College, we set individual education targets that focus on both academic and behavioural achievements. We have recently established a new satellite site co-located with one of our residential homes, designed for pupils who need early developmental experiences in an educational setting. Students will be integrated into the main site upon reaching specific milestones, which indicate their readiness for the secondary model. This process is informed by various indicators, including BERRI, Boxall profiling, and a positive behaviour support system.
Unity College specialises in providing education and support for young people with:
Behaviour
SMSC
Therapy
Universal Interventions:
Targeted Interventions:
Specialist Intervention:
At Keys, our purpose is to make a lasting, positive impact on the lives we touch. Don’t just take our word for it—hear directly from those who have experienced our commitment to our EPIC values.
Mark H, ParentI can’t thank Keys enough for the care and support they’ve provided for my daughter. The staff are always attentive, and they genuinely listen to her needs. She has made amazing progress in both her education and personal growth, and I see a brighter future for her every day. Keys has truly changed our lives for the better.
We welcome referrals and enquiries from parents and local authorities. To discuss how Keys Education can support your child, please contact us using the form below or reach out to our admissions team directly.
Parents, carers, or local authorities can contact us to discuss the needs of the child.
We ask the person wishing to commission the placement (normally the Local Authority) sends over relevant information, such as, EHCP, previous school reports, professionals reports.
This allows us to conduct a thorough assessment to determine if we are the right provision to meet needs.
Once we feel needs can be met, we work closely with all parties to facilitate the placement process. If the Local Authority request the place, this is subject to funding being agreed at a panel meeting.
After admission, we provide continuous support to ensure the child settles in well and their needs are met.
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