Reconnect

The purpose of reconnect

At Dixons Unity Academy, we recognise that our students who attend school are our students that are most likely to achieve our academy mission. For those who find attendance a challenge, our reconnect provision is set up in a way that ensures it can support as many of our severe absentees as possible, whatever their barrier to attendance.  

Reconnect aims to provide all our young people, who would otherwise be attending Dixons Unity Academy mainstream, with a ‘bridge’ back into education. Reconnect therefore mirrors Dixons Unity Academy mainstream in all ways practicable, whilst also providing a small group setting that allows for an even more personalised and responsive approach for each individual student. For any student attending reconnect, the aim is always to return the young person to Dixons Unity Academy mainstream education as soon as the young person is ready. 

Whilst in reconnect, students engage in online learning for an average of two hours a day and can study a variety of subjects via our online learning platform 'Century Tech'. Students initially engage with reconnect for a six-week period with regular reviews with the family taking place throughout. 

Reconnect, well-being, SEND and reintegration back to school  

Where appropriate the attendance team, who will work in conjunction with the well-being team and the SEND team, can engage the reconnect students in strategies to support with removing any potential barriers to attending school. Each reconnect student is treated as an individual and a bespoke reintegration plan will be developed for each student. 

Reconnect and families  

Family meetings are held before a student starts reconnect and then again as the reintegration support plan is created. Regular reviews and weekly check in calls to the family are made to discuss, attendance, engagement and well-being – these inform our next steps to build resilience, promote school attendance and achieving our mission that student succeed at university, or a real alternative, and live a happy, purposeful life.  

Reconnect expectations 

All students that attend reconnect will be required to sign a learning contract to show their commitment to the programme. This involves students agreeing to our uniform, attendance and attitude to learning expectations. Our expectations of students in reconnect remain just as high as they do for all other students in our academy, any less would only let these young people down and make reintegration back into mainstream education more challenging.