Avocet House
Turnstone House
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In September 2019, three young people from Turnstone House were able to take part in an experience that took each individual outside of their comfort zones. They were joined by two young people from Avocet House to participate in the first joint land-based residential trip between the two homes.
The trip took them to Llangollen in Wales for four days of activities that would include them making an ascent of Mt.Snowdon. Despite being something that none of them had previously aspired to do, they coped well with the physical and mental challenge that it brought. They worked brilliantly together as a team and, with support from the adults and mountain leader, broke through their barriers and successfully make it to the top. All felt a great sense of achievement once conquered and celebrated with a drink of hot chocolate at the summit.
They all felt that the trip was a great success and were able to reflect on how this might help them to overcome future barriers in their lives, whatever they may be. Once the aching muscles and stiff limbs had gone away they next day, they unanimously put forward to undertake climbing Ben Nevis!
Fantastic views on the long ascent to the summit of Mt. Snowdon.
The new staff team commenced duties on September 3rd and spent an intensive four week induction period prior to the first young people arriving.
An essential part of this training was delivered by six young people from Avocet House who visited Turnstone House to help train the new team through a ‘Question Time’ session.
Adults from Turnstone House had prepared an extensive range of questions to help support their understanding by listeneing to the viewpoint of the young people. The questions included, “What makes Avocet House feel like home?” and “What qualities do adults need to have?”
The adults spent over an hour quizzing the young people, who demonstrated exemplary manners and behaviour. They offered an insight into their lives that surpassed the adults expectations, and their honesty reflected how secure they felt.
Following the sessions, adults commented on the maturity of the young people and how they were a credit to Avocet House and themselves. They hoped that the future young people at Turnstone House developed into similar role models.
In addition individual boys from Avocet House spent an enjoyable time with adults from Turnstone House acting as if they were living in the new house and developing activities, ideas and feedback during the final week of induction.
This new community is now beginning to thrive in the beautiful former Georgian Rectory and the brand new ‘state of the art’ Learning Centre.
With four young people already in place there are still spaces left!
One of the young ladies placed with us went for a preliminary audition and is looking forward to hearing whether or not she will be called back. She certainly has talent in both singing and songwriting so watch this space for further developments as there are plans for her to be the lead singer in a new concept band backed by talented young musicians from Avocet House!
Three boys from Avocet House attempting to travel to Hollandin September, with a trained crew on the sailing boat “Duet” from Harwich.Due to extremely difficult weather conditions in the North Sea, the boat attempted to change course and make landfall in France, however, even this proved impossible and eventually they had to return to the East Coast of England!
One youngster gained his Competent Crew certificate, whilst the two others gained certificates for learning basic sailing skills. All three certainly gained their “sealegs”!
As part of a ‘thank you’ letter one boy wrote,”Even though I had many sleepless nights and there were massive waves I still had a really good time. Although the sea was rough I was not seasick. I learned no man can sail alone and although I found it tough at times I gritted my teeth and fought through until the end.”
After returning the boys did a presentation for representatives from both The Norfolk Boat (including the Chairman) and the CIRDAN Trust.
Last term Ben and Norman went back in time to experience life in wartime Norwich. Based at the old corner shop and The Bridewell Museum in Norwich, the boys spent a day experiencing air raid drills, rationing, dealing with evacuees, military drill, fire watching and singing war time songs to keep up spirits.
In costume, and working with a historian from Norwich Museums Service, this was a great opportunity to gain a better understanding of how the people of Norwich were affected by the war, and what it must have been like to have lived through those times.
The day was arranged to launch the upcoming World War 2 Battlefields trip later this year, and is part of wider WW2 history programme the boys will take part in this year.
This poem was written by a looked after child from a London Borough who was formally placed in a children’s home in a seaside town in Kent, at which he was a serial absconder, violent and quite prepared to hit authority figures such as the police.
His comfort zone was the urban streets and although he was positively involved in the decision to move to Avocet House in Norfolk, with all the benefits of a high quality home and personalised learning environment, it challenged his survival identity and his perception of himself. His initial time wasn’t easy and he tested boundaries and challenged the established settled family culture.
Restorative approaches were foreign to him and difficult.
Now seven months into his time at Avocet House he wrote this poem. His habit of absconding has subsided, loss of temper and violent outbursts are much reduced. He’s engaged in full time education and has just been short-listed for the final stage of a national competition for an extreme classroomchallenge to walk to Everest Base Camp.
The Avocet House motto is “Care and Education without Limits”, a belief that anything is possible.
The principle of children in care being placed as close as possible to home is a good one. His poem is stark warning that it should never become a dogma.
On 10th December 2012 all the boys were invited to spend the day at Open Youth Venue in Norwich, as part of the ‘Sites and Sounds’ project they have been involved in this term.
Funded by Culture Works East, the boys worked over a number of weeks with a music producer and artist as well as musicians Tarro and TJ, to develop their skills in music production, seeing their original music through to a finished product.
At Open the boys had the opportunity to record their work in a professional studio, and create art work for their finished CD cover. The day began with a team building challenge on the Climbing wall, and the boys were able to make the most of the facilities available for young people at Open throughout the day.
The creative work they have produced will count towards the Bronze Arts Award all the boys are currently
Turnstone house, a brand new 52 week school and children’s home for boys and girls is planned to open in September 2012, expanding the excellent and innovative work of SES.
SES is planning to open a brand new facility called Turnstone House on the border of Norfolk and Suffolk. It will build on the high quality reputation already developed at Avocet House for innovative and outstanding work with children and families.
Turnstone House occupies a Grade 2 listed country house in 7 acres of parkland. Initially it will have space for 8 children with phase two of the development seeing a stable block annexe being renovated and extended to provide further space potentially for two or three independent living places. The house itself and its residential annexe will retain all the virtues of a domestic, family environment created at Avocet House.
Most excitingly Turnstone House will have a purpose built, single storey, eco-friendly, sedum roofed, state of the art Learning Centre looking out over the grounds and lake. There couldn’t be better outlook (or a more therapeutic one!) for a work environment.
Fifteen year old Robbie Kilgallon, who attends Avocet House School in Heckingham, near Loddon, has come through a national competition to be one of 10 students to be selected to take part in a challenge of a lifetime: a nine-day trek across the floor of the Great Rift Valley, starting from the sacred Mount Longido and ending at the stunning Crater Highlands and Ngorongoro Crater. The expedition party will fly out to Tanzania on the 27th of June.
The expedition called “The Hottest Classroom On Earth” is being covered by a BBC documentary which will follow the participants, all of whom are from schools within the Engage In Their Future network — a national body and charity supporting the education of students whose life circumstances have left them with some social emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Candidates had to complete a detailed application which included a letter, CV and supporting evidence of their achievements.
28 students from across the country were then asked to attend a rigorous selection weekend in the Brecon Beacons, the training venue used by the SAS. Students were put through their paces on the coldest weekend of the year so far.
“The first thing we had to do was to strip bare foot and complete a two hour martial arts training session followed by a walk in arctic conditions climbing the three highest peaks in The Brecons . It was tough but I loved it and the views were amazing” explained Robbie. Robbie received the news that he had been one of the final ten selected on Wednesday of last week.
Andy Robinson, the member of Staff from Avocet House who accompanied Robbie on the weekend challenge said: “Candidates had to demonstrate qualities of personal determination and a team ethic. Robbie was fantastic and it did not surprise me in the least that he got selected.”
The potentially life-changing adventure is to be guided by members of the Maasai tribe across a fascinating geographical and geological region. It will also involve each student being accompanied by a sporting or business mentor. Scott Quinell, TV presenter and Former Welsh and British Lions Rugby star was one of a number of mentors who attended the selection weekend.
“The Hottest Classroom is to be one of a series of observational documentaries under the banner of ‘The Extreme Classroom’ and the Team leading it makes impressive reading:
Neil Dawson, Head of Education at Avocet House said: “We are really proud of Robbie. He was able to put forward a strong application because he has, through his enthusiasm for adventure and challenge, built up quite a CV. Last summer he walked the whole length of Hadrian’s wall and has previously canoed the Wye Valley. He’s responded to academic challenge, sitting his GCSE Maths early whilst in Year 9 and has made very significant gains in his attitude to English work which he will also sit at GCSE. We are grateful to the ‘Engage In Their Future’ organisation for setting up this opportunity. The most powerful learning invariably takes place beyond the traditional classroom. The hottest classroom on earth concept epitomizes what we are about at Avocet House and fits perfectly with our vision of ‘Care and Education Without Limits’. ”
Robbie acknowledges that it is an expedition that will test him to his physical and emotional limits and the hard work is just beginning. Apart from ensuring he’s in good physical shape he is expected to show initiative and raise at least £2,000 between now and July to fund his part on the trip. Anything extra that he manages to raise will go to the ‘Engage In Their Future’ charity.
