The Harbour
At Atlantic Academy, we recognise that some pupils need additional support at particular points in their school experience.
The Harbour is an important part of our wider inclusion provision, offering a supportive environment for pupils who may need additional help with learning, emotional regulation, wellbeing or engagement in school.
Our aim is to help pupils feel safe, supported and understood, while developing the confidence, skills and independence they need to participate successfully in their education.
A Space Designed to Support Individual Needs
The Harbour provides a range of spaces that can be used to support different aspects of a pupil’s development and wellbeing.
These include areas for learning, emotional regulation, sensory support and individual or small-group work.
We recognise that pupils may need different types of support at different times. For some, this might involve a short period of support to manage emotions or prepare to return to learning. For others, it may involve more structured, planned support over a longer period.
The Harbour enables staff to respond to identified needs within a supportive and purposeful environment.
How Does The Harbour Support Pupils?
Support within The Harbour is tailored to individual needs and may include:
- Check-ins with trusted adults to provide reassurance, encouragement and a positive start to learning.
- Emotional regulation support to help pupils recognise and manage their emotions.
- Targeted learning activities delivered individually or in small groups.
- Mentoring and pastoral interventions to develop confidence, relationships and engagement.
- Sensory and wellbeing support to help pupils manage particular sensory or emotional needs.
- Structured support to rebuild confidence where pupils have experienced difficulties engaging with school.
- Planned reintegration into mainstream lessons to help pupils return to and participate successfully in classroom learning.
The support provided will depend upon the pupil’s identified needs and the intended outcomes of their individual support arrangements.
A Place of Support, Not a Destination
The Harbour is part of Atlantic Academy’s inclusive approach to education.
It is not intended to replace a pupil’s wider school experience. Instead, it provides additional support that helps pupils remain connected to their learning, their peers and the wider academy community.
Our focus is on helping pupils develop the strategies, confidence and independence needed to participate as fully as possible in mainstream lessons and school life.
For some pupils, support may be brief and focused on a particular difficulty. Others may benefit from more structured arrangements that are regularly reviewed.
Our ambition remains the same: to help every pupil experience success, belonging and positive engagement with their education.
How Is Support Through The Harbour Arranged?
Access to The Harbour is based on identified individual needs and is planned and reviewed by appropriate academy staff.
The Harbour forms part of our wider Inclusion and SEND Offer, which includes Universal, Targeted and Targeted Plus support.
Where provision through The Harbour is appropriate, staff consider the pupil’s needs, the purpose of the support and how it will contribute to their learning, wellbeing and participation in school.
Support is reviewed to ensure that it remains purposeful and responsive as pupils’ needs develop.
Working Together
We recognise the importance of working in partnership with pupils and their families.
If you have concerns about your child’s learning, wellbeing or engagement in school, we encourage you to contact the academy so that we can discuss their needs and consider appropriate support.
You can find further information about how we identify additional needs, plan provision and review progress on our Supporting Your Child page.
You may also wish to explore:
SEND & Additional Needs — An overview of our three levels of support.
Our Universal Offer — Inclusive teaching and everyday adjustments for all pupils.
Our Targeted Offer — Additional planned support for identified needs.
Our Targeted Plus Offer — Highly personalised and coordinated support.
SEND Information & Accessibility — Our SEND Information Report, accessibility information and relevant policies.
The Harbour: supporting pupils to reconnect, participate and thrive.