SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES (SEND)
OUR VISION
We are committed to delivering exceptional learning experiences that enable all people to thrive in a competitive world and lead successful and fulfilling lives. All students, including those identified as SEND, have a common entitlement to a broad and balanced academic and social curriculum, which is accessible to them, and to be fully included in all aspects of Academy life.
We are committed to creating an inclusive environment, where provision is adapted to the needs and abilities of students, no matter how varied.
KEY SEND INFORMATION
WHAT DOES SEND MEAN?
WHAT IS THE SEND INFORMATION REPORT?
The aim of the SEND Information Report is to explain how we implement our SEND Policy. In other words, we want to show you how SEND support works in our Academy and what we do for our students who have SEND.
If you want to know more about our arrangements for SEND, you can read our SEND Policy here.
WHAT TYPES OF SEND DOES THE ACADEMY PROVIDE FOR?
Our Academy currently provides for students with the below needs. Some young people have more than one type of SEND.
Cognition and Learning, including: •Learning difficulties
•Dyslexia & dyscalculia
•Focus, attention or memory difficulties
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Communication and Interaction, including: •Autism
•Social communication difficulties
•Speech & language difficulties
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Social, Emotional Mental Health difficulties, including: •ADHD and ADD
•Anxiety
•Dysregulated behaviours
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Physical / Sensory needs, including: •Physical needs
•Hearing impairment
•Visual impairment
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THE ACADEMY APPROACH TO TEACHING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH SEND
SEND support is normally based on three levels of support and are referred to as universal, targeted and specialist.
This approach to SEND provision in our Academy aims to ensure that young people.
Most students needs will be access the right support at the right time met through our universal provision.
UNIVERSAL OFFER
HOW WILL THE ACADEMY ADAPT ITS TEACHING FOR MY CHILD?
Your child’s teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all the students in their class.
“High-quality teaching is our first step in responding to your child’s needs. We will make sure that your child has access to a broad and balanced curriculum in every year they are at our school.” (SEND Code of Practice).
We will differentiate (or adapt) how we teach to suit the way the student works best. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to adapting the curriculum, we work on a case-by case basis to make sure the adaptations we make are meaningful to your child.
These adaptations include:
- Differentiating our curriculum to make sure all students are able to access it, for example, by grouping, 1-to-1 work, adapting the teaching style or content of the lesson, etc.
- Differentiating our teaching, for example, giving longer processing times, pre-teaching of key vocabulary, reading instructions aloud, etc.
EXAMPLES OF OUR UNIVERSAL PROVISION
Communication and Interaction | Cognition and Learning | Social, emotional and mental health difficulties | Physical and/or sensory |
Whole school teaching and learning strategies: •Oracy framework
•Think – Pair – Share; students are given processing time.
•Lesson cycle
Student specific strategies: •Task management boards
•Group work support
•Preparation for change
•Praise
•Use the student’s name first to draw their attention
Extracurricular offer •Lego club
•Sign language club
•Board game club
•Culture club
•Inclusion displays
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Whole school teaching and learning strategies: •Homework strategy
•Reading strategy
•Questioning strategies
•Lesson cycle
•KS3 reading provision
•KS3 reading lessons
•Glossaries
•Sentence stems
Whole class strategies: •Visual/audio demonstrations
•Technology is used to effectively scaffold learning.
•Tangible apparatus and adapted resources
•Inclusion displays
Student specific strategies: •Task management boards
•Mini whiteboards
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Whole school wider curriculum: •Assemblies
•Tutor time/Life skills curriculum
Whole school behaviour management: •Rewards and consequence system
•Seating plans
•Relational practices
Support from external agencies: •WMIM lunch time workshops
•School nurse lunch time workshops
•KOOTH assemblies
•MAST workshops
Student specific strategies: •Tutor support
•Key workers
•Collecting student voice
•Groupings
•Post-16 mentors
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Whole class strategies: •Calm and purposeful climate for learning
•The physical accessibility of the building is assessed.
•Student’s views are used to inform planning for physical or sensory adaptations.
•Meaningful displays are visually accessible.
•Staff awareness of lighting.
•Use of pale background and accessible font styles.
•QA of resources to ensure lesson PowerPoints are clear for VI students.
•Consistent approach to gaining students’ attention through ‘active listening’ ensures a quiet environment for HI students.
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THE OFFER
All staff receive training in order to be able to support all students and ensure they meet the needs of SEND students within their role.
Induction PLD - All staff access a SEND Induction. SEND processes are in the teaching and learning booklet and booklet for cover staff.
INSET days – the SENDCo delivers training to all teaching staff on each INSET day.
Trainee teachers - All trainees access a SEND specific session around the four broad areas of need and inclusive teaching.
SEND Bulletin - The Inclusion Team share a half termly bulletin, focusing on an area of need, highlighting recent research and best practice.
SEND Shorts – Staff have access to up to date research, resources and student voice for a range of different SEND, compiled into one document which we call a ‘SEND Short’
WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I THINK MY CHILD NEEDS SEND SUPPORT?
Tell us about your concern.
Parents and carers are an integral part of the identification of SEND process, as you know will know all about your child’s history. If you have a concern, the best person to contact is your child’s Student Welfare Manager or Student Achievement Leader, as they know your child best.
We will gather information about your child.
If you raise a concern about your child, it is likely we will gather information from yourself and your child’s teachers and then discuss your concern at our Vulnerable Learners Network. We will always gather your child’s thoughts and feelings, through a variety of different methods, to ensure their voice is heard. We will then work in coproduction with you to put in suitable next steps to meet your child’s needs. This will include clear actions and include what we would like to achieve from these actions.
We will work with you to decide on appropriate next steps.
If your child requires a special educational provision, we will discuss this with you and notify you that your child is on our SEND register. Your child will have key worker from the SEND team, and you will be able to contact them directly on Class Charts. Our students with SEND have an Individual Education Plan which we will write with you, your child and any other professionals who support your child. You will be able to access this plan on Provision Map.
HOW WILL THE ACADEMY KNOW IF MY CHILD NEEDS SEND SUPPORT?
TARGETED OFFER
Some young people may require additional intervention and support in order to make progress. Interventions to support difficulties are done so in a variety of different ways and not all are exclusively for students with SEND. Many interventions are based within departments. Staff throughout the Academy are well placed to identify needs and provide evidence based interventions.
Whenever we run an intervention with your child, we will assess them before the intervention begins. This is known as a ‘baseline assessment’. We do this so we can see how much impact the intervention has on your child’s progress.
We will track your child’s progress towards the outcomes we set over time and improve our offer as we learn what your child responds to best. This process will be continual. If the review shows a student has made progress, they may no longer need the additional provision made through SEND support. For others, the cycle will continue, and the school's targets, strategies and provisions will be revisited and refined.
INTERVENTIONS
Interventions to support difficulties are done so in a variety of different ways and not all are exclusively for students with SEND. Many interventions are based within departments. These adaptations include:
EXAMPLES OF OUR TARGETED PROVISIONS
Communication and Interaction | Cognition and Learning | Social, emotional and mental health difficulties | Physical and/or sensory |
Student specific strategies: •IEPs
•Language modification techniques
•Now and next boards
•Sensory breaks
•Personalised reward strategies
•Uniform adjustments
•Social stories
Student specific resources: •Visual timetables
•Wobble cushions/Kick bands
•Ear plugs
•Doodle books
Student specific support: •Breakfast club
•Personalised welcome
•Social time support
•Lego therapy/Board games
•Mentoring
•TA Class support
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Student specific strategies: •IEPs
•Pre-teaching of key vocabulary
•Seating plans
•Additional time
•Differentiation of the curriculum
Student specific resources: •Modified resources
•Laptops
•Reading pens
Student specific support: •Reader/Scribe
•TA Class support
•Prep learning provision
•Dyslexia screening
•Reading - 1:1 support/tutor time small group/lesson support
•Small group teaching
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Student specific strategies: •IEPs/ IBPs
•Risk assessment
•Personalised reward strategies
•Seating plans
•Movement breaks
Student specific resources: •Fidget toys
•Ear plugs
Student specific support: •Personalised welcome
•Mentoring
•TA Class support
•Breakfast club
•Pastoral support
•Thrive provision
•Exceed provision
•WMIM group workshops
•KOOTH
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Student specific strategies: •IEPs
•Seating plans
•Flexibility with uniform policy
Student specific resources: •Modified resources
•iPads
•Laptops
•Fidget toys including oral
•Access to sensory equipment (writing
slopes, pencil grips, wobble cushions, fidget toys, ear defenders, chew pen tops) Student specific support: •Handwriting provision
•Fine motor skill provision
•TA Class support
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INDIVIDUAL EDUCATION PLANS (IEP)
THRIVE
Thrive is a key part of our targeted offer and is 1:1 and group support for students, targeted at a student’s area of difficulty.
A number of students in the academy have access Thrive support, identified through VLN, from the Inclusion Managers for a range of needs, including:
EXCEED
At Sir Thomas Wharton Academy we recognise that some children find it difficult to regulate their emotions and feelings. Exceed is an on-site alternative provision that provides interventions and bespoke curriculum to support children to go onto succeed in school and Post-16.
What is Exceed?
- Offers an adapted bespoke curriculum that is broad and offers a wide package of experiences
- Aims to identify unmet needs and implement emotional regulation/SEMH support
- Key worker support, safe space and increased parental engagement
- Supports the whole school consequence system.
Aims and Objectives:
- Reduction in Fixed Term Suspension
- Increased ability to regulate emotions
- Improved attendance
- Improved engagement and progress in lessons
SPECIALIST OFFER
THE OFFER
- Your child does not make expected progress following targeted interventions
- The special educational provision your child requires cannot reasonably be provided from within the resources normally available at the Academy
EXTERNAL AGENCIES AND EXPERT ADVICE
Sometimes we need extra help to offer our students the support that they need. Whenever necessary we will work with external support services to meet the needs of our students with SEND and to support their families. These include:
Communication and Interaction | Cognition and Learning | Social, emotional and mental health difficulties | Physical and/or sensory |
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For more information, please use the following link: Local Offer - Specialist Education Support Services
HOW WILL THE ACADEMY EVALUATE WHETHER THE SUPPORT IN PLACE IS HELPING MY CHILD?
We will evaluate the effectiveness of provision for your child by reviewing your child’s academic progress and attainment:
We will also review your child’s:
Review points including gaining student voice, parent voice, updates from key staff who work with your child and may involve updates from external agencies. If your child has an IEP, we will meet with you three times a year. If your child has an EHCP, we will hold an annual review.
HOW WILL I BE INVOLVED IN DECISIONS MADE ABOUT MY CHILD'S EDUCATION?
- We know that you’re the expert when it comes to understanding your child. We ensure that you can provide insight into what you think would work best for your child.
- All students receive Learning Cycle data at least twice a year which will inform you of the progress your child is making in each lesson.
- You will be able to access Class Charts which provides you with a live feed of your child’s attendance and investment in learning. You can contact staff directly through Class Charts.
- If your child is on the SEND register, we will meet with you three times a year, at least, to review the progress your child has made towards the desired outcomes agreed on your child’s Individual Education Plan. Two of these meetings will be with your child’s key worker and one meeting will be with your child’s teachers at Parents Evening.
HOW WILL MY CHILD BE INVOLVED IN DECISIONS MADE ABOUT THEIR EDUCATION?
The level of involvement will depend on your child’s age. We recognise that no two students are the same, so we will decide on a case-by-case basis, with your input.
We may seek your child’s views by asking them to:
- Attend meetings to discuss their progress and outcomes
- Prepare a presentation, written statement, video, drawing, etc.
- Discuss their views with a member of staff who can act as a representative during the meeting
- Complete a survey
WHAT SUPPORT IS AVAILABLE FOR ME AND MY FAMILY?
If you have questions about SEND, or are struggling to cope, please get in touch to let us know. The best person to contact is your child’s Student Welfare Manager or Student Achievement Leader, as they know your child best. We want to support you, your child and your family.
To see what support is available to you locally, have a look at Doncaster’s local offer: https://www.doncaster.gov.uk/services/schools/local-offer-specialist-education-support-services
Our local special educational needs and disabilities information advice and support services organisation is Doncaster SENDIAS: https://www.doncaster.gov.uk/services/schools/sendias
National charities that offer information and support to families of children with SEND are:
- IPSEA: https://www.ipsea.org.uk/
- SEND family support: https://sendfs.co.uk/
- NSPCC: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/support-for-parents/supporting-children-special-educational-needs-disabilities/
- Family Action: https://www.family-action.org.uk/what-we-do/children-families/send/
- Special Needs Jungle: https://www.specialneedsjungle.com/
HOW WILL THE ACADEMY MAKE SURE MY CHILD IS INCLUDED IN ACTIVITIES ALONGSIDE STUDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE SEND?
HOW IS THE ADMISSIONS PROCESS FAIR FOR STUDENTS WITH SEND?
Please see the Academy’s Admission information here: STWA Student Admissions
We welcome young people with SEND Support to apply for an Academy place via our normal admission process. The admission team consults with the SEND team with regards to every admission through the Vulnerable Learners Network and attends admission meetings for students with SEND.
If a young person has complex needs, we consider admissions on a case by case basis (through an Education Health and Care plan consultation). For more information on this, please contact our SENDCo.
HOW DOES THE ACADEMY SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES?
Please see our Accessibility Plan regarding information about how we support young people with disabilities and the steps that we have taken to prevent disabled students from being treated less favourably than other students.
The purpose of the plan is to:
- Increase the extent to which students with disabilities can participate in our curriculum.
- Improve the physical environment of the academy to enable students with disabilities to take better advantage of the education, benefits, facilities and services provided
- Improve the availability of accessible information to students with disabilities.
HOW WILL THE ACADEMY RESOURCES BE SECURED FOR MY CHILD?
The Academy is funded according to the national framework. The national threshold is approximately £10k per year made up of an element for core quality first teaching for every your person and up to £6,000 for effective additional support for young people with special educational needs. It is not the case that every young person identified as having SEND has £6,000 that must be spent on them individually.
For more information regarding Academy funding and the national framework please visit: Doncaster SEND Service
The Academy will cover up to £6,000 of any necessary costs for:
- Staff training and upskilling
- Overall SEND department facilities
- Overall SEND Department Staffing
- Extra equipment or facilities
- Thrive and Exceed provisions
- SEND Administration
- SEND Department Extra Curricular Clubs and experiences
- Teaching assistant hours above statutory
- Further training for our staff
- External specialist expertise
- SEND Parent Partnership
If funding is needed beyond this, we will seek it from Doncaster Local Authority.
SUPPORT
WHAT SUPPORT WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR MY CHILD TO SUPPORT WITH TRANSITION POINTS?
Transitions include:
• moving from one activity to the next within a lesson
• moving from lesson to lesson
• changing from structured to unstructured times
• preparing for weekends, the start of holidays and beginning of term
• changes of staff - permanent and temporary
• special events at the Academy
• life events
Procedures are in place for ensuring smooth progression within and between settings. At Y6, transition support includes:
• Bridging Project - 8-week transition programme for Vulnerable Learners
• Attending primary review meetings
• Primary day visits including meeting with key staff, meeting parents/carers, delivering STWA oracy lesson, student voice, nurture group work
• Transition days
• Parent/carer transition evening
At Y9, all students with SEND are interviewed by the SENDCo and Assistant SENDCo to ensure their options are appropriate.
At Y11, all students are access a careers interview and post-16 interview with senior leaders to secure their post-16 provision.
WHAT SUPPORT IS IN PLACE FOR LOOKED AFTER AND PREVIOUSLY LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN WITH SEND?
The Designated Teacher, Student Welfare Manager and Student Achievement Leader will ensure that all teachers understand how a looked-after or previously looked-after student’s circumstances and their SEND might interact, and what the implications are for teaching and learning.
Young people who are looked-after or previously looked-after will be supported much in the same way as any other young person who has SEND.
However, looked-after students will also have a personal education plan (PEP). We will make sure that the PEP and any SEND support plans or EHC plans are consistent and complement one another.
HOW WILL THE ACADEMY SUPPORT MY CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH AND EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT?
The mental health and wellbeing of our students is of paramount importance to us, and we do everything we can to help.
At Sir Thomas Wharton Academy, each year group receives support and guidance from their Student Welfare Manager and Student Achievement Leader. The year teams oversee the progress your child makes in lesson, their attendance, investment in learning and wellbeing.
The Academy’s Senior Mental Health Lead, Miss Dixon, oversees the offer that students receive, and all students raised as a concern or who are receiving support are monitored in weekly pastoral meetings and in our fortnightly Vulnerable Learner’s Network.
Our support for mental health and emotional and social development are a key part of our universal, targeted and specialist provisions.