You are here: Home » Education » Services to Schools » Hospital and Home Education Service » Hospital Education
Hospital Education
What do we provide?
This part of the service is for young people who are ill in hospital. We aim to minimise disruption to school work during the hospital admission by continuing education as normally as the pupil’s illness or incapacity allows.
To achieve this aim, the Hospital Teaching Sector:
- Works in partnership with pupils, parents, schools, and medical and social services colleagues to ensure the best possible outcome for each young person
- Provides as far as possible a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum which reflects that of the pupil's own school and the requirements of the National Curriculum
- Supplies a wide range of appropriate and up to date resources, including laptops and computers
- Employs well-qualified, committed and experienced staff
- Sends all completed work to the pupil’s school and sends a full report if on register for two weeks or more
- Works flexibly to accommodate the pupil’s medical treatment
- Prepares pupils for public exams. Examination work can continue in the hospital, and, as the service is an official exam centre, SATs, GCSE and ‘A’ Levels can be taken whilst in Hospital
- Supports reintegration to school
Who do we teach?
We teach school children of all ages, including young adults up to the age of 18 if requested. We aim to teach from day one of admission, but we will give priority to children who are:
- Long-stay patients
- Recurrent admissions
- Assessed as having special needs
- Taking public examinations
We will only begin to teach patients after consultaion with medical and nursing staff.
Where do we teach?
Hospital teaching is based at the following sites during normal term times:
- Sheffield Children’s Hospital Monday to -Friday 9.00am - 3.10pm
- Northern General Hospital Monday 1.00pm – 3.10pm, Wednesday 8.50am – 3.10pm, Thursday 1.00pm – 3.10pm
- Royal Hallamshire Hospital As required
- Weston Park Teenage Cancer Unit As required
Teaching normally takes place at the bedside or at Weston Park in our classroom on the Oncology ward.
What happens when a pupil is discharged?
- The medical and nursing staff will advise the teacher about the pupil's return to school. A fax will be sent to the school indicating whether the pupil will return shortly, within 3 weeks or after a longer period.
- In the case of a longer period, we recommend that home teaching be provided. If the child lives in Sheffield, this will be arranged by the service, and a home teacher will be allocated as soon as possible. If the child lives outside Sheffield, the hospital teacher will notify the home school of the need for home teaching.
Contact information
For more information contact the Hospital and Home Education Service.
How useful is this page?