SECONDARY Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)
SEND Information Report
FEBRUARY 2020
| Assistant Headteacher, SEND | Mrs Maureen Burdock |
|---|---|
| Contact | Tel: 01843 861696 Email maureenburdock@st-georgescofe-thanet.kent.sch.uk |
| SEN Governors | Jane Campbell and Matthew Munson |
| Local Authority Local Offer | www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/special-educational-Needs |
Introduction
St George’s C of E Foundation School admits pupils to the school in line with the school’s admission procedure.
The school provides an innovative and challenging learning environment that is totally dedicated to seeking and developing the potential of every young person.
St George’s C of E Foundation School takes a whole school inclusive approach to pupils with special educational needs, recognising that the vision of the school (Every moment, every day, every individual counts) is the same for all pupils, whatever their abilities.
The school recognises that a pupil has SEN (D) if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them and, as defined in the 2014 Code of Practice, the school accepts that a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if
'… they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for ‘special educational provision’ to be made for them and they have significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age’'
The school makes provision in accordance with:
Children and Families Act 2014
SEN Code of Practice 2014
SI 2014 1530 Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014
Part 3 Duties on Schools – Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators
Schedule 1 regulation 51– Information to be included in the SEN information report
Schedule 2 regulation 53 – Information to be published by a local authority in its local offer
Equality Act 2010
Schools Admissions Code, DfE 1 Feb 2012
SI 2012 1124 The School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2012
SI 2013 758 The School Information (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2013
SEN provided for at St George’s C of E Foundation School
Special Educational Needs are identified in terms of learning, communication, interaction, and emotional health, physical and sensory needs. At St George’s C of E Foundation School we believe that young people have a right to be involved in making decisions and exercising choices. They have a right to receive and impart information, to express an opinion, and to have that opinion taken into account in any matters affecting them. Consequently, the school is committed to working in partnership with the pupil, parents, carers and outside agencies to identify needs, provide support for them and monitor the progress of all pupils.
Identification and Early Intervention
- The Assistant Headteacher, SEND, liaises closely with Primary Feeder schools to discuss the current level of support upon transition.
- Mid-year transfers uses information from the pupil’s previous school if available
We will work closely with the young person and their parents to identify what support is needed, what the specific barriers to learning are and to understand why a pupil may not be making progress. We will then seek to put in place appropriate interventions. All interventions are monitored and evaluated for the effectiveness of their impact, using the ‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review’ model.
Special Educational Needs and provision can be considered as falling under four broad areas:
1. Communication and interaction
2. Cognition and learning
3. Social, mental and emotional health
4. Sensory and/or physical
All staff provide high quality teaching which allows pupils to learn effectively. A range of teaching and learning strategies may be required to ensure that all pupils can access the curriculum.
- Members of staff understand that they are all teachers of pupils with special educational needs and may need to differentiate work accordingly.
- All pupils, regardless of ability, have full access to a wide range of suitably challenging educational opportunities which are appropriate to their needs.
- Every pupil at the school is provided with opportunities to make progress in every aspect of their development, enabling them to be the best they can be
- Access arrangements for public examinations are applied for
- Liaison with the Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy service for guidance on pupils needing specialist equipment
In order to fulfil our commitment to fully support every child we have access to a range of specialist via the Local Inclusion Forum Team (LIFT). The Team looks at the difficulties facing pupils and discusses ways of helping them. As a result we access support from the Educational Psychologist and the Specialist Teachers Service.
We may also make referrals to:
- The Speech and Language Service
- CYPMHS (Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service)
Intimate Care Procedure
At St George’s C of E Foundation School we recognise that children have different rates of development and differing needs during their time at school. Some children remain dependent on long-term support for personal care.
All children have the right to be treated with courtesy, dignity and respect and to be able to access all aspects of school life and St George’s C of E Foundation School will work:
- To ensure that all pupils with continence difficulties are not discriminated against in line with the Equalities Act 2010
- To provide help and support to pupils in becoming fully independent in personal hygiene
- To treat continence issues sensitively so as to maintain the self-esteem of the child
- Work with parents in delivering a suitable care plan where necessary
- To ensure that staff dealing with continence issues work within guidelines that protect themselves and the pupil involved
The arrangements for consulting parents of pupils with Special Educational Needs
From making an application for a place and throughout their child’s time at the school, parents are given regular opportunities to discuss their child’s needs, progress and concerns. These opportunities can occur, for example, through:
- Meetings to agree transition arrangements and support. The Assistant Headteacher, SEND, meets with SENCOs from feeder primary schools during the Summer Term. Bespoke transition plans are put in place where necessary
- Meetings to discuss progress with the Year Team and/or Assistant Headteacher, SEND, or other appropriate member of staff following the publication of the Academic Overview (3 times per year) or following a parent request
- Statutory meetings and reviews
- The school records the outcomes of these meetings so that everyone is clear about what has been said and agreed
- Through parent surveys
Arrangements for consulting pupils with Special Educational Needs
The young person is central to the planning for, and the review and evaluation of the support they have been given to support their progress. St George’s C of E Foundation School is committed to hearing their voice and to ensuring their needs are met. The school seeks to ensure that the young person is empowered to bring to the attention of staff their needs and the best ways in which they can be supported. This could be through:
- SEND pupil representation on the School Council
- Age appropriate conversations about targets and progress
- Working with outside professionals
- Participation in statutory meetings or annual reviews
- Assistant Headteacher, SEND, open door policy for pupils
Arrangements relating to the treatment of complaints from parents to pupils with Special Educational Needs
As a school, we work hard to be in effective communication with pupils and parents, and to listen and respond positively to any concerns brought to our attention. We are committed to taking all concerns seriously and would like to think that, through being open and accessible, concerns can be both raised and dealt with easily.
If the situation arises where parents have a concern about the provision being made for their child or the impact of that provision, and feel that the Assistant Headteacher, SEND, has been unable to reassure them that needs are being met effectively, then the school’s Complaint Procedure – which is available by request – sets out clearly what the steps are to draw these concerns to the school’s attention.
Information about how equipment and facilities to support children and young people with special educational needs will be secured
- Where external advisors recommend the use of equipment or facilities which the school does not have, we will purchase it or seek it by loan. For highly specialist communication equipment the school will seek the advice of the KCC Communication and Assistive Technology team.
Contact details of support services for parents of pupils with SEND
Helpline: 03000 41 3000. Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm.
Email: iask@kent.gov.uk Address: Shepway Centre, Oxford Road, Maidstone, ME15 8AW
Telephone: 03000 412 412
Facebook: IASK on Facebook
Evaluation and Effectiveness of Interventions
Pupil progress is tracked following every Academic Overview. Here at St George’s C of E Foundation School we follow the ‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review’ model and ensure that parents and pupils are involved at each step. A baseline will be recorded which can be used to compare the impact of the provision.
If a pupil has an Education Health Care Plan reviews will take place following interventions and will also be formally reviewed annually.
Supporting pupils moving between phases of education and in preparation for adulthood
- For pupils transferring to St George’s from primary school, meetings are arranged with parents and SENCOs to agree transition arrangements and support. Bespoke transition arrangements are agreed where necessary.
- Year 6 pupils are invited to attend ‘taster sessions’ in all subject for one hour per week during the Summer Term. SEN pupils are encouraged to attend and parents have the opportunity to meet with the Assistant Headteacher, SEND should they wish to.
- All pupils attend a ‘Transition Day’. Teaching Assistants and teaching staff are made aware of pupils with SEND so that they can be supported.
- In Year 9 pupils start to receive careers advice from our designated Connexions advisor. The Assistant Headteacher, SEND, meets with the advisor to highlight the needs of SEN pupils.
- In Years 9,10 and 11 the Connexions advisor continues to liaise with the Assistant Headteacher, SEND, so that pupils’ needs are met
- A representative from East Kent College attends the Transition meetings of pupils with Education Health Care Plans and transition arrangements are agreed.
How pupils with SEND are enabled to engage in activities available with pupils in the school who do not have SEND
At St George’s C of E Foundation School we work hard to ensure that no pupil is disadvantaged in terms of facilities and equipment dependent upon need. To ensure that we achieve this goal we work with outside professionals such as specialist teachers, occupational therapy and specialist nursing team. Our broad approach here is captured in our equality and disability policies which are available on our website or open request.
All pupils are encouraged to attend a range of after school subject- based clubs as well as Homework Club, Art Club and Drama Club which are led by Teaching Assistants (full details available on request).
SEND pupils are encouraged to attend school trips. Parents are consulted where there may be mobility or medical issues to ensure that all needs are met.
The design of the school building is fully inclusive for all staff and pupils whether they are able bodied, physically disabled or have visual or hearing impairments.
Support for improving emotional and social development
The pastoral Year Team at St George’s Church of England Foundation monitors and support the emotional and social development of pupils in their care as well as their educational achievement.
If bullying is reported the Year Team will meet with all pupils concerned and liaise with their parents to resolve the issue. For other emotional and social development difficulties the following interventions may be put in place:
- Referral to our Family Liaison Manager
- Referral to our Attendance Welfare Officer
- Referral to CYPMHS
- Referral to the Educational Psychologist
For all SEND questions or information please contact Mrs Maureen Burdock, Assistant Headteacher,SEND
Maureen Burdock
23 January 2015, Revised 15 October 2015, Revised 24 January 2017
Revised February 2018, Revised November 2018, Revised Feruary 2020
