1

How does our school know/identify that children have special educational needs (SEN)?

•  Information passed on by Primary school.
•  KS2 national data and teacher assessment.
• Screening for Y7 students to help inform on strengths and difficulties.
• Internal school tracking that may lead to referrals from school staff to the SENDCo.or Assistant SENDCo.

2

What are the first steps our school will take if special educational needs are identified?

• Create a picture of need.
• Inform parents in writing or by phone. An additional meeting may be needed.
• Student is added to the school’s SEN Register.
• A Pupil Passport is shared with teaching staff and linked to student's electronic school file accessible to all staff as necessary
• My Plan is created in liaison with parent/carers and with the student.
• My Plan is shared with teaching staff and linked to student’s electronic school file accessible to all staff as is necessary.

3

What should parents/carers do if they think their child has SEN?
How can they raise concerns?

• If the concern is specifically with regard to SEN then parents/carers should contact the school’s SENDCo (Ms Melissa Matthews) or Assistant SENDCo (Mrs Rachel Newman) via phone 01452 520594, email mmatthews@sphs.uk.com, email rnewman@sphs.uk.com or in writing at the school.

4

How will our school include parents and students in planning support?

• The My Plan for all students with Additional Educational Needs (AEN) is a tool that can be informed by parents/carers.
• When an intervention is felt necessary, the nature of the support being put in place will be outlined in writing and parents/carers are welcome to seek further information via the SENDCo or Assistant SENDCo.
• The SENDCo, Assistant SENDCo and other relevant school staff are happy to have consultations with parents when a need arises in addition to planned parent consultation evenings and at a mutually agreeable time.

5

How will our school teach and support children with SEN?

 a

For children without an Education, Health and Social Care plan (EHC)

• All classroom teachers will have information and data relating to the students in their teaching group. All teachers are expected to plan utilising this information to inform their practice. All teachers are seen as teachers of SEN and as such the majority of students with AEN will have their needs met in the classroom through Quality First Teaching and differentiated learning.
• Some students may have ‘targeted’ support where they will have additional intervention during the day that will address specific needs for a set period of time.

 b

For children with an EHC plan

Where additional educational needs are identified in an EHC plan, school will use this to inform and plan additional support. This may be in the form of additional adult help in the classroom, additional resources to be used in the classroom or at home, assistive technology or individualised learning in a specified intervention informed by external professionals.

 c

How does our school plan the support? How are our resources allocated and matched to needs?

• Needs are identified through screening, tracking and professional dialogue within school and with key local professionals. This information will inform all decisions in planning support at a strategic level in terms of curriculum planning or resource allocation.
• Individual students with additional input via an EHC may have additional resources allocated according to the statutory documentation and in liaison with key school staff.

 d

How is the decision made about the support your child will receive?

• Data and additional information is collated from our tracking information and is analysed by key staff in department areas as well as by pastoral and SEN leaders. This information will be used by staff responsible for strategic planning of the school to meet the needs of all students at SPHS.

 e

How will progress towards identified outcomes and effectiveness of our SEN provision be assessed and reviewed by us and how will we involve parents, children and young people in this process?

• Half-termly monitoring of academic progress of our students informs department leads and the SEN Team with regard to provision.
• Interventions will be monitored through additional tracking at regular intervals.
• Support staff input information with regard to support on a regular basis.
• Progress reports are sent home three times per year for parents/carers to consider.
• Parents/carers have access to their child’s progress via Insight.
• Review meetings for students with an EHC will have up to date information to share and will be informed by parents/carers and the young person.

6

Who will be working with your child?

• Form Tutor
• Subject Teacher
• Head of Year

Depending on level of AEN there may be additional contact with:

• Teaching Assistants
• Behaviour Management Mentor
• Counsellor
• Outside agencies such as Advisory Teaching Service, Educational Psychologist
• SENDCo and/or Assistant SENDCo

7

How does our school ensure that the information about a child’s SEN or EHC plan is shared and understood by teachers and all relevant staff who come into contact with that child?

• All students with AEN will have a My Plan that all staff have access to.
• Y7 Forums take place during the first half-term of entry where additional information and data is shared with all key staff.
• Any changes during the year are passed on through formal documentation, electronically through SIMS or via email to key staff.
• The SENDCo/Assistant SENDCo and Heads of Year have liaison meetings to discuss students in each year group.

8

What expertise does our school and our staff have in relation to SEN?

 a

Training of staff

• There is a range of qualifications and experience across the whole school staff.
• On-going professional development takes place in relation to specific students on a needs basis.
• Some staff who work more specifically with some of our SEN students have additional qualifications, on-going professional development linked to Autism, visual impairment and hearing difficulties.
• ·The SENDCo is working towards the National Award for SEN Leadership.

 b

List areas of expertise

• The SEN staff have greatest experience of Autism and literacy difficulties.

 c

What intervention programmes does our school run for children with SEND and how are they delivered?

• Highly differentiated English curriculum for students in KS3 – targeted small groups which in Y8 and Y9 involve being extracted from some Modern Foreign Language lessons.
• Literacy intervention groups involving small groups of students using a range of resources including Lexia and Ruth Miskin’s ‘Read, Write, Inc’ – targeted small group.
• 1:1 specialist teaching with literacy focussed teacher – specialist for very few individual students.
• Social Communication group run by a Teaching Assistant – targeted small group.
• Numeracy group run by a specialist Maths Teaching Assistant – targeted small group
• Behaviour management intervention run by a behaviour support worker – targeted small group or specialist 1:1 for very few students.

 d

What teaching strategies does our school use for children with learning difficulties including:

• Autistic spectrum disorder
• Hearing impairment
• Visual impairment
• Speech and language difficulties

All staff are informed of individual strategies to use for each student on the Additional Educational Needs register. This includes differentiation in the classroom as well as additional support such as visual timetables. Strategies are developed from primary transition, knowledge of the students as they progress through the school, parent consultation or from external reports/assessments and professional dialogue.

 e

What support does our school put in place for children and young people who find it difficult to conform to normal behavioural expectations and how do we support children and young people to avoid exclusion?

• All students are expected to follow school rules and meet expectations according to the School Behaviour Policy and Behaviour for Learning Policy.
• Careful dialogue with primary schools, home and other professionals will inform specific strategies for students with behaviour difficulties and developed through the school.
• Close monitoring through reports are used which parents can access daily. The report system works on a continuum of severity and monitored via Tutors, Heads of Year, Head of Key Stage or Governor.
• Time out cards are issued on a needs basis and monitored and evaluated closely.
• Additional mental health support can be offered on a needs basis to support emotional and mental health difficulties.
• Liaison with a range of external agencies for targeted and specialist support.
• St Pauls and our Behaviour for Learning area is used and monitored with some students identified as needing further intervention for positive behaviour and appropriate consequences in

10

Which other services do we use to provide for and support our students/students?

Potential services are listed below and are accessed according to the benchmark for that service or resources available and matched against need.

• Health – eg. School Nurse
• Social Services
• Educational Psychologists – 1:1 specialist
• Advisory Teaching Service for a range of needs where students reach the benchmark criteria set by the LA
• Community Mental Health Support – 1:1 specialist
• Counselling
• Young Carers Group
• Families First
• ASTRA
• CYPS
• Teens In Crisis
• INFOBUZZ
• Avenger Taskforce
• Woodland Project

 a

How do we meet the needs of SEN students/students

• The above services are used in a range of manners to meet the needs of students with SEN, eg 1:1, professional advice, professional assessment to inform specific strategies, resource allocation and staff training.

 b

How do we support families of these students/students?

• Wherever appropriate strategies used in school are shared with parents with the intention or re-enforcing them at home to support the family environment.
• School is able to sign-post additional support or advice services for a range of needs (e.g parenting support, family support)

11

How does our school provide support to improve the emotional and social developments of our SEN students/students?

 School have a number of staff assigned to work with our young people who may need additional support around emotional well-being. This includes counselling, a Community Mental Health Nurse, 1:1 Mentoring, our Chaplain as well as external referrals and liaison with outside agencies such as CYPS and Teens in Crisis.

 a

How does our school manage the administration of medications (knowledge and training of staff; what parents have to let school know; school being in touch with parents)

• There are designated staff trained in first aid.
• If a student has a medical need parents/carers are expected to provide additional information as a matter of urgency. This information is shared only where appropriate for the safety of the young person.
• Care plans, informed by relevant health staff and parents/carers are put in place and held at Reception and on SIMS for the specific student.
• Additional medication is held in Reception where there is also a small medical room for students to administer medication themselves.

 b

How does our school help with personal care where this is needed

• Students’ eating can be monitored in the Partnership and Learning Base or Student Support Services area based on liaison and planning with home and health care professionals and where appropriate.
• Students with a medical reason are assisted with a discreet toilet pass to utilise in lessons.
• Diabetic students have access to a room to administer medication discretely

 c

What is our policy on day trips, school outings, health and safety arrangements

• All trips are carefully assessed according to our internal procedure for health and safety which also adheres to external legislation.
• Trip leaders are expected to liaise with key staff such as the SENDCo with reference to additional needs when planning a trip with a student with SEN in attendance.
• Where appropriate for day trips additional adult support may also be provided.

 d

What extra pastoral support do we offer, and what pastoral support arrangements are in place to listen to students/students with SEN?

What measures are in place in our school to prevent bullying?

• The school behaviour policy deals with incidences of bullying. Staff are proactive in dealing with positive and respectful behaviour which is reinforced in our Citizenship program, assemblies, retreats and RE curriculum.
• Incidences of bullying are dealt with by senior staff and parents/carers are informed.
• The Partnership and Learning Base is a key resource and acts as an area for students with SEN to come to for additional support including and during free time.

12

What access do our SEN students/students have to facilities and extra-curricular activities available to all children?

• All facilities and extra-curricular activities are open to SEN students in the same manner as they would be offered to all students.
• Where reasonable adjustment is not enough to allow for a student with SEND to fully participate without concern appropriate liaison with parents will be made to address this issue.

13

Who will be talking to and keeping in touch with the parent/carer? (working together towards outcomes, reviewing arrangements; including looked after children)

• SENDCo – Ms Melissa Matthews
• Assistant SENDCo - Mrs Rachel Newman 
• Director of Student Support Services – Mrs Emma Fryer
• Head of Year
• Form Tutor
• Key Worker
• Head of Key Stage 3/4
• Heads of Years 12 & 13

 a

Who will explain and discuss this with parents/carers?

• Depending on the level of need and area of focus there will be a range of key staff involved in discussion. All staff are accessible to parents via Reception and would be able to go over any concerns or answer queries. If staff are unable to answer queries directly they will be able to find the information needed or signpost parents/carers to an appropriate colleague.

 b

How will parents/carers know how well their child is doing?

• Student progress is reported formally on a progress report three times per year.
• Parents/carers are able to access an online student file (Insight) which will have progress data available to them.
• Parent consultation evenings are arranged annually and published on the school website.
• Personal Education Plans (PEPs) for Looked After Children are reviewed three times per year overseen by the SENDCo – Ms Melissa Matthews

 c

How does our school measure outcomes and impact of the support provided to the student/student?

• Monitoring of student progress takes place constantly.
• Any additional support or interventions are monitored and reported on by individual staff and reviewed regularly by senior staff.
• The outcomes of the student are then considered along with the data recorded to inform further intervention and support.
• The Progress Team, meet regularly to discuss individual students as well as strategic planning.

 d

When and at what interval will this happen?

• Assessments are reported formally three times per year
• Interventions are monitored regularly and are also monitored at least every half-term.

   e   

Who will explain and discuss this with young people

• Where applicable the individual teacher responsible for the support will explain and discuss progress.
•  Initially the SENDCo or responsible teacher will explain or discuss additional support.

14

How will our school involve young people with SEN in their education?

• Students that represent the whole student body take part in focus groups and these also involve the Governing Body.
• Students with SEN are invited to inform their My Plan to enhance and personalise it for staff to act on.
• Learning Walks and Work Scrutiny include a specific focus on our students with SEN and SEN students are a part of feedback to senior staff and Governors in terms of their learning experience.

15

What accredited and non-accredited courses do we offer for young people with SEND?

• The curriculum is set up to allow for students to secure the formal qualifications that are needed and these are expected to be accessible at the level of the students who are taking them.
• The curriculum choices are reviewed annually and presently offer BTECs, GCSE and GCEs with GCSE resits in Maths and English available in our post-16 provision.

16

How do we assess and evaluate the provision we have arranged for your child?

• ·Monitoring of student progress takes place constantly.
• Any additional support or interventions are monitored and reported on by individual staff and reviewed regularly by senior staff.
• The outcomes of the student are then considered along with the data recorded to inform further intervention and support.

17

How do we prepare our school to welcome and support SEN students/students and how do we arrange and support a transfer to another school/educational establishment?

• The SENDCo, when informed by the primary school, begins a transfer for those students with an EHC plan from Y5 by attending annual reviews, transition meetings and observations where appropriate.
• Identified students may have additional visits to ease transition essentially to meet key adults and for familiarisation of the site.
• Family visits can be arranged by prior appointment.
• An annual SEN morning is organised during late May.
• Y6 day is held during late June
• An information evening for parents/carers is also held around June.

18

What arrangements are in place with other schools/educational providers when our SEN students/students transfer?

• Professional and open dialogue will take place with other providers wherever appropriate to aid transfer. Formal documentation will be passed on as appropriate.
• Where students are transferring to college at post-16, or potentially moving, college is invited to additional planning meetings and additional visits are arranged which can be supervised where needs suggest this.
• Careers advice is offered to individual students as well as groups of students and this involves input from post-16 providers to support student decision making.

19

How accessible is our school to students/students with SEN?

• Our school site is set on the side of a hill. It is an extensive site, one of the largest in the county, and students encounter large numbers of steps during their movement through the day.
• There are 4 lifts to aid mobility situated in strategic positions around the site as well as mobility slope/ramps but the site remains physically challenging.
• The majority of external steps are coloured on the edges.
• An accessibility plan is in place and can be viewed on the school website here:

20

Where can you find our SEN policy?

 Parents/Carers can find the SEN Policy on the school web site here:

21

What role do the governors have? What does our SEN governor do?

• Governors play an active role in the whole school community, meeting regularly with the Principal and visiting the areas of the school that they are linked to.
• Making sure that the school has an up to date SEND Policy.
• Making sure that the school has appropriate provision and has made necessary adaptations to meet the needs of all children in the school.
• Making sure that the necessary support is made for any child who attends the school who has SEN and/or disabilities.
• Making visits to understand and monitor the support given to children with SEND in the school and being part of the process to ensure your child achieves his/her potential in school.

22

What can you do if you are not happy?

 ·         In terms of SEN, in the first instance please contact Ms Melissa Matthews, school SENDCo 

·         More general concerns please contact the student’s Head of Year via Reception

·         Parents are also able to contact the Principal via Reception or in writing at school.

·         If a parent/carer is still concerned please contact the Chair of Governors, Mr John Ciereszko via school Reception.

23

How can parents/carers arrange a visit to our school? What is involved?

·         Via Reception.

          reception@sphs.uk.com

         01452 520594

24

Who can you contact for more information?

Ms Melissa Matthews, School SENDCo.
mmatthews@sphs.uk.com 
01452 520594

Ms Charlotte Copestake, Assistant SENDCo
ccopestake@sphs.uk.com

25

When was the above information updated?

October 2021