SEND Overview

What does SEND mean?

Children and young people with SEN all have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most children and young people of the same age. These children and young people may need extra or different help from that given to others. Many children and young people will have SEN of some kind at some time during their education.

Early years providers (for example, nurseries or child minders), mainstream schools, colleges and other organisations can help most children and young people succeed with some changes to their practice or additional support. But some children and young people will need extra help for some or all of their time in education.

The Quality First Teaching approach which we adopt makes higher quality teaching normally available to the whole class meaning that fewer pupils will require such support.

Broad Areas of Need 

Communicating and interacting
–for example, where children and young people have speech, language and communication difficulties which make it difficult for them to make sense of language or to understand how to communicate effectively and appropriately with others.

Cognition and learning
–for example, where children and young people learn at a slower pace than others their age, have difficulty in understanding parts of the curriculum, have difficulties with organisation and memory skills, or have a specific difficulty affecting one particular part of their learning performance such as in literacy or numeracy.

Social, emotional and mental health difficulties
– for example, where children and young people have difficulty in managing their relationships with other people, are withdrawn, or if they behave in ways that may hinder their and other children’s learning, or that have an impact on their health and wellbeing.

Sensory and/or physical needs
–for example, children and young people with visual and/or hearing impairments, or a physical need that means they must have additional ongoing support and equipment. Some children and young people may have SEN that covers more than one of these areas.

What is a SENDCo?

The SENDCo has an important role to play with the head teacher and governing body, in determining the strategic development of SEN policy and provision in the school.
The SENDCo has day to day responsibility for the operation of SEN policy and coordination of specific provision made to support individual pupils with SEND and meeting with other relevant professionals/ outside agencies. The SENDCo provides professional guidance to colleagues and will work closely with staff, parents and other agencies. They work with professionals providing a support role to families to ensure that pupils with SEN receive appropriate support and high quality teaching.

The key responsibilities of the SENCO in a mainstream setting may include:
 

• overseeing the day to day operation of the school’s SEN policy
• coordinating provision for children with SEND
• liasing with colleagues to discuss the needs and provision for children with SEND.
• liaising with parents of pupils with SEN
• liaising with a range of outside agencies including; local authority and it’s support services, other schools, educational psychologists and health and social care professionals
• liaising with potential next providers of education to ensure a pupil
• and their parents are informed about options and a smooth transition is planned
• working with the headteacher and school governors.

SEND INFORMATION REPORT                                LINK ACADEMY TRUST

1 SEND that is provided for:

Our academy currently provides additional and/or different provision for a range of needs, including:

• Communication and interaction, for example, autistic spectrum disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, speech and language difficulties
• Cognition and learning, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia
• Social, emotional and mental health difficulties, for example, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• Sensory and/or physical needs, for example, visual impairments, hearing impairments, processing difficulties, epilepsy
• Moderate/severe/profound and multiple learning difficulties

2 How do we Identifying pupils with SEND and assess their needs?

We will assess each pupil’s current skills and levels of attainment on entry, which will build on previous settings and Key Stages, where appropriate. Class teachers will make regular assessments of progress for all pupils and identify those whose progress:

• Is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline
• Fails to match or better the child’s previous rate of progress
• Fails to close the attainment gap between the child and their peers
• Widens the attainment gap

This may include progress in areas other than attainment, for example, social needs.

Slow progress and low attainment will not automatically mean a pupil is recorded as having SEND.  The Link Academy Trust will refer to their Quality First Teaching Pathway which moves through the SEND Waves of Intervention. Teachers will carry out a plan do review cycle assessing interventions used to aid the pupil's progress. After two cycles, if little or no progress is made, pupils will move onto the next wave.

Wave 1: Universal – Quality First Teaching for All (review of planning, curriculum delivery, behaviour management strategies and TA deployment)

Wave 2: Targeted – Intervention programmes in school

Wave 3:  Specialist – This may include Link Academy Improvement and Inclusion Hub support, Educational Psychologist referrals, EHCP, CAMHs, Early Help

Provision Mapping is used to record this.

When deciding whether special educational provision is required, we will start with the desired outcomes, including the expected progress and attainment, and the views and the wishes of the pupil and their parents. We will use this to determine the support that is needed and whether we can provide it by adapting our core offer, or whether something different or additional is needed.

3 How does the academy consult and involve pupils and parents?

We will have an early discussion with the pupil and their parents when identifying whether they need special educational provision. These conversations will make sure that:

• Everyone develops a good understanding of the pupil’s areas of strength and difficulty
• We take into account the parents’ concerns
• Everyone understands the agreed outcomes sought for the child
• Everyone is clear on what the next steps are

Notes of these early discussions will be added to the pupil’s record and given to their parents.

We will formally notify parents when it is decided that a pupil will receive SEN support.

4 How does the academy assess and review pupils' progress towards outcomes?

We will follow the graduated approach and the four-part cycle of assess, plan, do, review. (using the QFT Pathway alongside the Devon Graduated Response where appropriate). Teachers will use provision mapping to outline interventions and outcomes.

The class or subject teacher will work with the SENDCO to carry out a clear analysis of the pupil’s needs. This will draw on:

• The teacher’s assessment and experience of the pupil
• Their previous progress and attainment or behaviour
• Other teachers’ assessments, where relevant
• The individual’s development in comparison to their peers and national data
• The views and experience of parents
• The pupil’s own views
• Advice from external support services, if relevant

The assessment and provision maps will be reviewed regularly.

All teachers and support staff who work with the pupil will be made aware of their needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided, and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required. We will regularly review the effectiveness of the support and interventions and their impact on the pupil’s progress.

5 How will we support pupils moving between phases and preparing for adulthood?

We will share information with the school, college, or other setting the pupil is moving to. We will agree with parents and pupils which information will be shared as part of this.

6 What is our approach to teaching pupils with SEND?

Teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all the pupils in their class.

High-quality teaching is our first step in responding to pupils who have SEND. This will be differentiated for individual pupils.

We will also provide the following interventions:

• Lego Therapy
• Precision Teaching
• Toe by Toe
• Emotional support programmes via Improvement & Inclusion Hub courses
• Improvement & Inclusion Hub learning mentor & family support interventions
• phonics intervention programmes
• Pre/post teaching with TAs/CTs
• Fine motor skills programme(Teodorescu)
• FUNFIT – co-ordination programme
• SALT programmes
• Think Good, Feel good programme

7 What adaptations to the curriculum and learning environment have been made?

We make the following adaptations to ensure all pupils’ needs are met:

• Differentiating our curriculum to ensure all pupils are able to access it, for example, by grouping, 1:1 work, teaching style, content of the lesson, etc.
• Adapting our resources and staffing
• Using recommended aids, such as laptops, coloured overlays, visual timetables, larger font, etc.
• Differentiating our teaching, for example, giving longer processing times, pre-teaching of key vocabulary, reading instructions aloud, etc.

8 Do you have additional support for learning?

We have 3 teaching assistants who are trained to deliver interventions as mentioned above.

Teaching assistants will support pupils on a 1:1 basis when an EHCP details this

Teaching assistants will support pupils in small groups as outlined on our provision maps].

We work with the following agencies to provide support for pupils with SEND:

• MAST (Multi Agency Support Team)
• Link Academy Inclusion Hub
• Communication and Interaction Team – Babcock
• Play Therapists
• DCC 0-25 team
• DCC inclusion team
• CAMHS
• School Nurse & GPs(NHS)
• SALT
• OTs
• South West Intervention Services (SWIS)
• Husbandry School
• Communication & Interaction Team

9 What are the expertise and training of staff?

Our SENDCO has 17years experience in this role and has worked alongside primary school children for 32 years

Within the academy we also have Alex Waterman (SEND and Safeguarding Lead) and Rebecca Humphreys (Inclusion Hub Manager) who have both completed their National SENDCo Award.

We have a team of  3 teaching assistants, including 2 higher level teaching assistants (HLTAs) who are trained to deliver SEND provision. We also have two trainee teaching assistants through the Kick Start Programme.

In the last academic year, staff have been trained in provision mapping, QFT strategies, precision teaching, Thrive and Managing anxiety.

10 How does the academy secure equipment and facilities?

When a child requires specialist equipment or access to facilities we will work with professionals to obtain this

where possible. An EHCP may provide funding for necessary equipment or facilities. All funding requests will

be discussed with the Academy Head and Business Manager.

11 How is evaluating the effectiveness of SEND provision carried out?

We evaluate the effectiveness of provision for pupils with SEND by:

• Reviewing pupils’ individual progress towards their goals each term
• Reviewing the impact of interventions after 6 weeks
• Using pupil questionnaires
• Monitoring by the SENDCO
• Using provision maps to measure progress
• Holding annual reviews for pupils with EHC plans

12 How do you enable pupils with SEND to engage in activities available to those in the school who do not have SEND?

All of our extra-curricular activities and school visits are available to all our pupils, including our before-and after-school clubs.

All pupils are encouraged to go on our residential trips.

All pupils are encouraged to take part in sports day/school plays/special workshops.

No pupil is ever excluded from taking part in these activities because of their SEN or disability.

See Academy accessibility Plan

13 What support is there for improving emotional and social development?

Pastoral care is provided by the teachers in the first instance, but where needs are more acute e.g. bereavement, attachment etc school can signpost to the Improvement and Inclusion Hub or other external agencies. Where underlying developmental needs have been identified, a Boxall assessment can be carried out, this typically results in a targeted programme of support within the class, and sometimes a weekly 1:1 session with a TA. Within the DGR framework, we have worked closely with outside agencies, including MAST, Social Care, the SEMH Team at Babcock and the Devon Inclusion Team (where needed), often exploring creative ways to ensure a continuity of provision for the pupils’ wellbeing.

We have a zero tolerance approach to bullying.

14 How does the academy work with other agencies?

The SENDCo has responsibility for multi-agency working. They work within the DGR format and are held to account for the impact of traded services. Health, education or care referrals are made to single agencies or the multi-agency Integrated Children’s Services on a strategic case-by-case basis, using the Local Authority’s Threshold Tool for guidance.

For parents whose children have SEND, we act as a signpost to other services, such as DIAS – Devon Information Advise and Support https://devonias.org.uk/ 

15 How can parents/carers proceed with complaints about SEND provision?

Complaints about SEND provision in our school should be made to the class teacher in the first instance. They will then be referred to the school’s complaints policy.

The parents of pupils with disabilities have the right to make disability discrimination claims to the first-tier SEND tribunal if they believe that the academy has discriminated against their children. They can make a claim about alleged discrimination regarding:

• Exclusions
• Provision of education and associated services
• Making reasonable adjustments, including the provision of auxiliary aids and services

16 Contact details of support services for parents of pupils with SEND

There is a useful source of information on the Devon County Council website, which signposts other services available to parents. Please see https://www.devon.gov.uk/educationandfamilies/special-educational-needs-and-disability-send-local-offer  , or you can contact the SENDCO.

17 Contact details for raising concerns

Jill Ryder – _{jill.ryder@thelink.academy}

Alex Waterman – alex.waterman@thelink.academy

Rebecca Humphreys – Rebecca.humphreys@thelink.academy

18 The local authority local offer

Our academy offer is built around the 2014 SEND Code of Practice, and in particular the Devon Local offer, which can be found at www.devon.gov.uk/send

.

LOCAL OFFER

Devon's Local Offer

From 2014, Local Authorities and schools have been required to publish and keep under review information about services they expect to be available for the children and young people with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) aged 0-25. This is the Local Offer. The intention of the Local Offer is to improve choice and transparency for families. It is an important resource for parents in understanding the range of services and provision in the local area.

Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) Local Offer - Education and Families (devon.gov.uk) 

Link Academy Inclusion Hub 

http://www.inclusionhub.thelink.academy/web

Welcome to Inclusion and Improvement Hub (The Link)