Ellesmere College is a large special school located in Leicester providing education for up to 426 children and young people aged between 4-19 years. Students have a range of complex learning and communication needs, including ASD and associated behaviours, hearing and visual impairments and a wide range of learning difficulties both moderate and severe.

Our main site caters for 306 students with a range of needs in Braunstone on the edge of the city with easy transport links as we’re just a couple of minutes from the M1.

We have a new site which is a 60 place 5-19 provision for students with complex needs in the areas of communication, interaction and autism. (Knighton Fields Centre, Herrick Road).

We also have plans to create a Post-16 provision for students with a range of needs with an emphasis on preparation for adulthood, work related learning and enterprise. 

We have committed and caring staff who really know the individual student; a broad and relevant curriculum with equal attention to academic and vocational learning; a continuous emphasis on the student’s well-being; teaching and support that challenge and move the student forward; a friendly atmosphere and a purposeful “can-do” attitude. As a result of all this, students leave Ellesmere making impressive progress, both academically and socially whatever their type or level of difficulty.

Ellesmere is a busy place. Our highly skilled and ambitious staff team are determined to do their very best for the individual student at all times. There is a wide range of opportunities and experiences on offer that contribute to the development of the whole child.

We are looking to recruit outstanding, committed professionals who are seeking to expand their experience in a vibrant environment where student and staff wellbeing is at the centre.

Please see our advertisements to see if you feel you could be our next new recruit.

Our ‘Ellesmere Qualities’ underpin everything we do at Ellesmere. Our students are taught and encouraged to demonstrate the ‘Ellesmere Qualities’ of respect, responsibility, independence, confidence, resilience and teamwork. The qualities were developed by staff alongside the student council who were able to identify the key elements of the Ellesmere ethos. 

Our curriculum covers eight areas of learning throughout which, the qualities permeate and there is also an emphasis on preparation for adulthood and independence. We educate our young people to be good people so that they leave us being about to make a positive contribution to society.

Our motto of ‘Be your best, be happy, believe!’ was developed by students to capture what we stand for at Ellesmere. We help all children to become the best they can be, academically, emotionally and socially. We nurture all of our young people and prioritise wellbeing and mental health as well as academic progress. When a child is happy they can learn most effectively.

We are a vibrant and happy school where the students are at the heart of everything we do. Ellesmere College is a great place to work and by joining us you will receive a wide range of benefits including: 

• High quality training targeted to your role to support you in your duties and to extend your skills and knowledge for your future career path
• High quality induction and support for new starters
• Access to the Smart Clinic which provides free counselling, physiotherapy, GP appointments, eye tests, flu jabs and legal advice
• Staff sports clubs and other social opportunities 
• Free car parking
• Pension and salary sacrifice schemes e.g. cycle to work 
• Discounted gym membership and swimming for Leicester City Council 
• A commitment to the wellbeing of all staff through our wellbeing committee and regular opportunities to feedback to SLT

Our most recent Ofsted was in May 2022: 

Ellesmere College is a good school because:

• The college’s motto of ‘be your best, be yourself, believe’ is at the heart of the school. Teachers help pupils to become increasingly independent in their learning. Pupils have opportunities to complete work experience in a range of settings, such as the King Richard III Visitor Centre and Leicester Royal Infirmary. This helps pupils to become well prepared for life after college. Pupils who find it difficult to communicate using words are taught alternative methods. Pupils use pictures, objects and signs to express what they want to say. As a result, pupils are less frustrated and feel more understood. Pupils behave well around the school. The teachers use songs and rhymes to remind pupils about routines and expectations of behaviour. Most pupils work hard in lessons. Sometimes a pupil may find this difficult. When this happens, teachers treat the pupil with kindness. Adults support pupils to stay safe and play well together at breaktimes and lunchtimes. Pupils and parents agree that there is very little bullying in school. Pupils would tell their teachers if bullying happened. Pupils say teachers would put a stop to it. They feel safe in school. Parents told inspectors that teachers act to help the pupils have positive relationships.

• Leaders have ensured that the curriculum is ambitious. Each pupil is placed on a curriculum pathway. The curriculum pathways are carefully planned so that all pupils are taught the Ellesmere ‘areas of learning’. Teachers adapt each pathway. This means that all pupils are given learning tasks and work that are ambitious for them. Teachers make sure pupils read every day. Teachers help pupils choose stories that excite them. Younger pupils read stories about ‘Waffles the dog’ and ‘Peppa Pig’. Older pupils read a range of books, such as ‘Star Wars’, ‘The Lord of the Rings’, ‘Harry Potter’ and novels by Jane Austen. Teachers use phonics to help pupils to read. Pupils learn how to blend the sounds that letters make to read the words. If pupils do not remember the sounds they have been taught they are given extra help to keep up. Teachers check that pupils understand the stories they read. Teachers use a number of different programmes to teach phonics. This is so that the individual needs of pupils are met. The current programmes are effective in teaching pupils to read. However, leaders have chosen a new phonics programme that will be used by all teachers for all pupils, to further improve the provision. Staff are receiving training in preparation for its implementation.

• In mathematics, teachers provide pupils with opportunities to help them to understand how their learning will be relevant in their everyday lives. All pupils are taught the same mathematical ideas. These are delivered in such a way that every pupil can understand the intended content. They provide pupils with additional support when it is needed. Teachers know that some mathematical concepts are more difficult for pupils, such as finding the area of a circle or telling the time. In these lessons, teachers spend more time breaking the learning down into smaller, manageable steps. Teachers regularly check how well pupils have understood and remembered the mathematics they are learning. Teachers make sure that pupils revisit topics before an examination. This means that most pupils will be able to leave the school with qualifications. Pupils learn about the wider world through a well-thought-out personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum. Teachers plan the curriculum so that pupils can cope with the world around them. For example, pupils in key stage 1 are taught about how to make friends with one person. At key stage 3, pupils take part in role plays so they can learn how to talk to a boss at work. Teachers make sure that pupils know how to keep themselves safe. Pupils are taught about consent. Pupils are taught the NSPCC ‘PANTS’ programme, and have it adapted for their needs. The good behaviour of the pupils promotes the implementation of the curriculum. Leaders consider the workload of teachers. Staff told inspectors that they appreciate how leaders manage change. Leaders have simple rules to protect staff’s time, for example having a no email rule during the evening and early morning. Leaders will protect the time of teachers who are working on specific school improvement projects.

Leicester is a great city in which to live and work. With our central location, there is excellent access routes to all parts of the country and it is only just over an hour by train to London. 

You can find everything you need in Leicester; it is a vibrant and thriving city with a big variety of things to do in your spare time. Grab a bite to eat where you will be spoilt for choice, visit our independent bars and nightclubs, find out more about King Richard III or even go into outer space at the National Space Centre! It is also a great place for gigs and live music as well as theatre and elite sport. To find out further information about our great city, please go to https://www.visitleicester.info/