We are delighted to announce that Treloar School has won the National Association of Independent Schools and non-maintained Special Schools ‘Breaking Barriers’ Award for their project – ‘Increasing accessibility and inclusivity for students with a physical disability’.
Head of School, Lisa Bond received the award at an inspiring ceremony at the NASS conference in Leeds on 3rd October. The Breaking Barriers Award recognises an organisation that has carried out exceptional work to ensure positive and sustainable outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
In March 2024, Treloar School students took part in a national dance competition, Dance Live at GLive venue in Guildford, Surrey. Whilst for many mainstream schools participating in competitions like Dance Live is a fairly straightforward process, for schools like Treloar's, there are substantial barriers to overcome. However, the innovation, grit, and perseverance of all involved lead to positive and sustainable outcomes not only for aspiring students but also for improving accessibility in the venue. This further promotes the arts and encourages future opportunities for wheelchair users to perform.
Breaking Barriers Judge Matt Keer said:
“There were several things that were really striking about Treloar's entry. Firstly, the effort that everyone had to go to in order to break some of these barriers was immense. The venue in Guildford needed a lot of adaptation to enable Treloar's pupils to perform well, and to perform safely. School staff had clearly worked very hard for weeks with venue staff to make things possible.
"Secondly, the school's attention to breaking barriers at an individual level was really clear. Every single pupil involved was given something individual to do that stretched them, that their teachers and support staff clearly thought they had potential to do, that maybe the pupils didn't think was possible. This wasn't just the performance - it included a pupil who had not been able to attend school for many months, who was given a graphic design role that enabled them to break their own barriers too.
"And finally, the testimony from the people who'd worked with Treloar's to make this happen was very, very powerful. The project had clearly left a profound and indelible impact on the staff at the venue in Guildford, the choreographers, and the producers of Dance Live. It was very clear that through their work with Treloar's, these people now felt well equipped to go on and break barriers on behalf of other special schools, or disabled youth groups - to have a lasting impact beyond one show, one group of amazing pupils, one group of amazing staff supporting them.”
Lisa Bond, Head of Treloar School, said:
"The competition was a real leveller: it enabled students from other schools to see that disability shouldn't be a barrier anymore that enables that all students have the same hopes and dreams for performance."
Attending the NASS Awards was a wonderful reminder of the difference that Special Schools make to children and young people across the country, and of the many creative ways in which they seek to do that.