Schools and learning

Education Support Team for Medical Absence (ESTMA) Formerly Hospital and Home Education (HHE)

The service is for school age children who are sick or pregnant and temporarily unable to attend school for health related reasons: it is not an alternative to school.

Purpose of the Service

• To minimise the interruption and disruption to the pupil’s schooling by continuing education as normally as the child’s condition permits, and working towards reintegration into school as soon as possible.
• To ensure continuity of educational provision by liaising with the pupil’s home school.
• To provide as far as possible a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum which reflects that of the home school and the requirements of the National Curriculum.
• To contribute to pupils’ physical and mental recovery by providing a secure
  and stimulating educational environment and a sense of normality.
• To work in partnership with pupils, parents, schools, medical and all Children,
  Schools and Families colleagues to ensure the best possible outcome for each young
  person.
• To help pupils settle back into school.

Service Provided For:

• Pupils of statutory school age from mainstream or special schools, or from independent schools.
• Pupils who are too ill to attend school for an extended period.
• Pregnant school girls from 28 weeks of pregnancy or earlier if the pupil is
  too ill to attend school. Tuition will continue after the birth until the pupil
  is well enough to return to school.
• Post 16 pupils whose education has been significantly disrupted due to illness and are therefore needing an extra year to complete statutory education.

The Service Provides

• Continuity of education for pupils with long stay or recurrent admissions
  to hospital.
• Education for Hertfordshire resident pupils away from school for an aggregated
  period of 15 days or more due to illness.
• Liaison with, advice and support to, schools and parents.
• Close liaison with hospital multi-disciplinary teams and other agencies concerned
  with the educational needs of the ill child.
• Help with re-integrating pupils back into school.

How to Access the Service

• General information about the service or particular advice and support is available from the Customer Service Centre 01438 737500 (callers from 01923 or 0208 dialling codes may wish to call 01923 471500 in order to be charged at local call rates)
• Any agency who is concerned about the welfare of a pupil should first make contact with the school to discuss their concerns
• Referrals for tuition should be made on the Children, Schools and Families referral form to Client Services at Stevenage. Fax: 01438 737402. Address: P.O. Box 153, Stevenage, SG1 2GH

Your Contacts

For more information about the service, you can contact the service via the following numbers:

• East and North Area - 01992 588506
• West and South Area - 01442 453041