The Thomas Group (TTG) programme is a small, nurturing, educational setting for children presenting with social, emotional and psychological difficulties and has a quiet classroom dedicated to its own exclusive use on a separate site currently located at Camden Learning Centre (https://camdenlearning.org.uk/camden-learning-centre-clc). Our TTG Director is Margaret Moore. 

“There is no doubt that TTG saved my our granddaughter from falling out of education altogether. By reaching out as you did, you enabled her to start recognising her own potential and gave her the confidence to persevere.  She is now pursuing her college course with enthusiasm." 

TTG provides a personalised education programme, helping to remotivate children, reconnect them to their normal world and preventing them from falling behind or suffering educational failure. The majority of children recruited to the group are receiving support from medical or mental health services and TTG facilitates their recovery from the emotional, psychological and educational deficits they have experienced, for whatever reason. Although the Thomas Group is primarily  aimed at KS3 pupils, KS4 pupils may also be considered where there is no other suitable provision available to them. The intention is for this to be a short-term intervention of no more than 2 terms.

TTG accommodates secondary school children within a primary structure whereby pupils do most of their secondary level work with the same teacher, one with whom they feel safe and come to know well.

The provision operates within a multidisciplinary framework; working closely with a range of professionals including consultant doctors, mental health professionals, occupational therapists, speech therapists, educational psychologists and other agencies. 

How do I refer a young person to TTG?

TTG is aimed at young people who live in the London Borough of Camden or the surrounding boroughs, or attend local schools but due to medical or mental health challenges are unable to access mainstream education.  

Pupils in TTG tend to present with complex and inter-related special educational needs that affect their ability to learn which could include any of the following:

• Significant social emotional vulnerability or mental health needs (SEMH) affecting their ability to thrive in mainstream school
• Severe and persistent attendance issues in association with significant anxiety, emotional vulnerability and/or school refusal

"Margaret.....has encouraged and helped me to gradually open myself up to changes I believed I would never have been able to make. I genuinely feel happier in my life and with the progress that I have been making!" 

All referrals or initial enquiries should be made through contacting;

Dylan Buckle

School Inclusion Manager at Camden School Inclusion Team

Dylan.Buckle@camden.gov.uk

07880793039.

Referrals are discussed in partnership with the RFHCS at a monthly School Inclusion Panel meeting to assess the suitability of the young person.