Special education needs provision, is outlined by a code of practice. The Code of Practice, 2014, sets out the legislation and regulations concerning children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
What is the definition of Special Educational Needs and Disability?
The SEND Code of Practice: 0-25 years (2015) states that a child or young person has a special educational need or disability if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.
A child of compulsory school age/young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:
- Has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or
- Has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools
What kinds of special educational needs (SEND) might the pupils at Yavneh College have?
According to the Code of Practice 2014, special educational needs and provision falls under four broad areas of need:
- Communication and interaction
- Cognition and learning
- Social, emotional and mental health
- Sensory and/or physical
How does the school know if children/young people need extra help?
- Limited progress is being made according to expected progress
- Referrals made to the SENDCo by school staff where there is a change in the pupil’s behaviour or progress
- Liaison with each pupil’s primary or previous school setting
- Cognitive Ability Testing carried out initially by the school on entry
- Tracking information provided by the Fisher Family Trust
- Benchmark assessments in reading comprehension and spelling at Key Stage 3
- Screening assessments carried out by the SENDCo where appropriate
- Information from parents regarding their child’s history
- Self-referral by pupil
- Working in partnership with external agencies and outside professionals
What should I do if I am concerned about my child’s academic progress?
If you have a concern about your child’s academic progress in a specific subject, you should always speak to your child’s subject teacher in the first instance. If you continue to be concerned that your child is not making progress in a specific subject, you may contact the relevant Head of Department For general academic concerns please contact the relevant member of staff below:
- Mrs R Gordon, Head of Year 7
- Miss G Turnham, Head of Year 8
- Mr R Goldstein, Head of Year 9
- Mrs R Hircombe, Head of Year 10
- Mrs J Rhodes, Head of Year 11
- Mr M Kendler, Assistant Headteacher, Head of Sixth Form
What should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?
If you think that your child may have a SEND, it is important that you contact, Mrs L Tredler, SENDCo, in the first instance.
Our policy pertaining to assessment for exam access arrangements, can be accessed at https://yavnehcollege.org/curriculum/inclusion/send-exam-access-arrangements/
How will school staff support my child?
Subject teacher input, through Quality First Teaching.
- The majority of your child’s learning needs will be supported and addressed by quality first teaching in the classroom
- Subject teachers are responsible for the planning and implementation of learning tasks for all students, including the learning of students who have identified special educational needs and disabilities
- Growth Mindset is woven through our curriculum and we encourage all students to develop Growth Mindset dispositions such as resilience, collaboration, independence and an honest reflection of themselves as learners. Developing these dispositions will ensure greater academic success and greater success in life beyond education
- Subject teachers will employ High Quality Adaptive Teaching, so that your child is fully included in learning. This may involve using more practical learning activities, visual aids and the use of IT
- Subject teachers ensure that specific strategies and/or resources advised by the SENDCo, are in place to support your child’s learning
- Learning Support Assistants (LSAs) provide targeted in class support to individual and/or small groups of students
- Specialist equipment may be provided to your child e.g. writing slopes, pencil grips, laptop, wiggle cushions upon recommendation and funding from outside agencies
Provision in addition to classroom teaching
Additional provision and support will be given where a student’s needs are considered ‘additional to or different from their peers’
The duration of an intervention will vary according to need but will be monitored regularly. Interventions will be reviewed by the school to establish the effectiveness and impact of the provision and to inform future planning.
Intervention programmes may include:
- Academic mentoring
- Pastoral mentoring
- Numeracy intervention
- Literacy intervention
- Handwriting programme
- Enrichment programmes which support and extend learning where appropriate
- Social skills groups
- Emotional regulation programme
- Social, emotional and behavioural support programmes
- Exam related support
- Subject specific interventions
- Subject specific revision classes
Highly personalised and individualised interventions
- This level of support is provided for children with specific barriers to learning that cannot be overcome through Quality First Adaptive Teaching and school support.
- This is usually delivered through an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). This is a legal process which sets out the support provision in place in order to meet EHCP outcomes
- An additional adult or Learning Support Assistant (LSA) may support your child with whole class learning, run individual programmes or hold small group sessions which include your child
- A student may receive intervention services from an external professional and/or advisory teacher provided by a local authority
- A student may have a reduced or modified curriculum
How will I know how my child is doing?
- We support and involve parents in their child’s learning both formally and informally
- Parent consultation evenings are held once a year, where you will have the opportunity to meet with subject teachers, Heads of Year and SENDCo to discuss any specific needs
- Regular reporting details the progress that your child is making in school
- Either an Interim or Target Report will be sent home every term
- Parental access to Insight details the academic and behaviour record of your child
- Additional means of communication may also be put in place, such as home/school liaison and target reports, communication books, email correspondence and telephone conversations
- Additional appointments can be made with the Heads of Year, Heads of Key Stages 3 and 4 and the SENDCo via the school office
Regular learning walks and lesson observations will be carried out by members of the Whole School Leadership and Senior Leadership teams to assure that the quality of teaching and learning is high - The SENDCo will monitor your child’s progress within any intervention group that they take part
- If your child is identified as making insufficient progress, the school will discuss this with you in more detail and plan any additional interventions or support and/or referrals to outside professionals as per the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle (APDR)
- The progress of children with an Education Health and Care Plan will be formally reviewed at an Annual Review held with parent/guardian, your child and named professionals involved with your child’s education
What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?
For matters relating to Mental Health and Wellbeing please contact the following members of staff:
- Mrs B Brunt, Pastoral Manager, Years 7 to 11
- Mrs R Gibson, Year 12
- Mr M Kendler, Year 13
- Mr A Conway, Wellbeing practitioner. Promotes wellbeing and positive mental health throughout the school and provides small group targeted interventions
- Students are encouraged to forge close relationships with their form tutor who is the first point of contact for overall well being
- Our behaviour policy provides instant rewards for positive behaviour
- A weekly PSHCE programme (Personal, Social, Health and Citizenship Education)
- A full time Pastoral Manager is the Mental Health Lead and supports students with social and emotional wellbeing and long term absence
- Social and emotional support programmes address the needs of students with emotional and sensory regulation, communication and friendship difficulties
- The Base (inclusion room) offers a supportive environment at lunch and break times
- Buddies are allocated to some students who are struggling socially
- A key adult/mentor may be allocated to identified students
- Close links with many external agencies who offer social and emotional support as and when required
- Students who are encountering significant social, emotional and mental health difficulties receive support from outside agencies such as CAMHS and the School Nursing Team
What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?
A student may be identified by the school as needing some extra specialist support from a professional outside the school. This may be from organisations that include:
- Local Authority Advisory teachers for behaviour, Communication and Autism, Visual, Hearing and Physical Impairment (Integrated Services for Learning /ISL)
- Health services such as occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, physiotherapists
- The Education Psychology Service
- Special Educational Needs and Disability Advisory Service (SENDIASS)
- Family Support workers
- Attendance Advisory team
- Education Support Team for Medical Absence ESMA
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS)
- Links Academy outreach services
What training have the staff supporting children and young people with SEND, had or are having?
- The school provides training and support to enable all staff to improve the teaching and learning for children, including those with SEND through a programme of Yavneh Continuing Professional Development (YCPD)
- The SENDCo contributes to whole school training on SEND issues. This has included training on High Quality Adaptive Teaching, specific learning difficulties (Dyslexia, Dyspraxia), students with sensory difficulties and Speech, Language and Communication Needs (ASD, ADHD) and maximising the impact of LSA support
- Support staff have access to training from the SENDCo and outside specialist agencies
- The staff appraisal process enables SEND training needs to be identified and targeted
- The SENDCo is a qualified teacher and holds the National Award for SEN Coordination, has a master’s degree in Special Educational Needs and a Diploma in Psychology. She has an ELKLAN qualification in speech and language difficulties and is qualified to deliver AET (Autism Education Trust) training to school staff. She has a Level 7 Organisation Post Graduate Award of Proficiency in Assessment for Access Arrangements.
- The SENDCo attends regular training courses and Hertfordshire update meetings which inform departmental and whole staff training
- As part of Herts For Learning Education, all staff have access to up to date and relevant training related to SEND
How will you help me to support my child’s learning?
- You may contact your child’s subject teacher directly via email
- Subject teachers and the SENDCo will meet with you at parents evening to discuss your child’s needs, support and progress. They may suggest ways in which you can support your child at home
- Regular updates regarding effort and progress will be sent home as per the school’s reporting policy
- The SENDCo is available to discuss strategies on how to support your child with their specific needs at home
- The school encourages liaison with Local Authority external agencies and professionals. If outside agencies have been involved, suggestions and programmes to be used at home are usually provided by them
- The relevant Form Tutor can be contacted in the first instance should you have any concerns/worries about your child’s general progress
- For SEND related concerns, you can contact the SENDCo
- The SENDIASS team is available to give impartial advice and support should you need it. Their website address is: https://www.kids.org.uk/sendiass
How will I be involved in discussions about planning for my child’s education?
When children have been identified as having SEND needs, the thoughts and feelings of the child and the parents/carers, together with the views of school staff and relevant professionals are considered through:
- Informal discussion with staff
- Teacher and child consultations
- Teacher and parent consultations
- Meetings with outside agencies where appropriate
- The school may invite parents to a meeting to discuss their child’s progress and academic, social emotional and/or behavioural concerns
- The SENDCo may invite parents to discuss the possibility of SEND at any time in the school year
- KS 4 Option evenings provide students and parents/guardians the opportunity to discuss GCSE option preferences with the subject teachers
- We invite parents to be involved in forming school policy, by providing feedback and making suggestions, through surveys, questionnaires and meetings
Sixth Form
- Parents and students may be invited to meet with the Assistant Head Teacher of Key Stage 5 to discuss sixth form options and their suitability to access the courses that we offer at Yavneh
- The prospectus and course booklets which detail the entry criteria and different KS5 pathways are available on the school website
- The Sixth Form Open Evening provides an opportunity for parents and students to discuss their A-Level or BTEC course choices with the relevant subject teachers
- In the Spring term, students who have applied to join the Sixth Form at Yavneh College will be invited to attend a consultation with the Head of Sixth Form to discuss their option choices further
- Parents are welcome to request a meeting with the Head of Sixth Form to discuss any concerns they have regarding Sixth Form option choices
- On results day (GCSE), all students have an opportunity to meet with senior staff to discuss any changes to courses
How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips?
- The individual needs of all our students are considered in the planning of all outside activities and trips
- Provision and reasonable adjustments will be made where necessary and appropriate to ensure that activities are as inclusive as possible i.e. arranging for an additional adult to accompany a pupil, additional preparation for a child who is anxious, adjusting sporting activities to enable a pupil with a physical disability to participate
- Students with SEND are supported during school activities such as religious celebrations, house activities and competitions and learning development days that take place within the school day
- Extracurricular activities and after school provision are accessible for children with SEND
How accessible is the school environment?
- The school ensures that it is fully accessible in terms of access to the curriculum, to the physical environment and to information for members of the community
- The school is fully accessible for students who have wheelchairs; there are lifts which travel to each floor and doorways and corridors which allow wheelchair access
- Students who have difficulty moving around the school may be allowed to leave classes early to avoid the busy corridors and/or be allocated lunch queue pass
- There are accessible parking spaces for parents who need to drop off their children and wheelchairs to the school
- There are toilets and changing facilities that support students with physical disabilities
- We endeavour to adapt the environment for individual students with visual, hearing and physical requirements by using assistive technology and building modification where possible and reasonable
Who can I contact for further information?
Mrs H Fraser, Business Manager
Mrs L Tredler, SENDCo
How will the school prepare and support my child to join the school, transfer to a new school or the next stage of education and life?
We recognise that transitions can be difficult for any child, and we take steps to ensure that any transition is as smooth as possible
If your child is joining us from another school
- Yavneh has a rigorous Year 6-7 transition programme which includes, open evenings, school tours and induction days
- Students have the opportunity to meet with key personnel including their Form Tutors and Head of Year 7
- The Head of Year 7 and SENDCo work together with primary schools to ensure the smooth transition of students in to Yavneh College
- Information is gathered from your child’s primary school through primary school visits and circulated to the relevant members of staff
- For students with SEND, the SENDCo will liaise with your child’s previous school to discuss the specific needs of your child. This may include arranging additional visit prior to the start of the autumn term
- The SENDCo will undertake a planning meeting with the SENDCo and/or class teacher from the previous school where appropriate
- Parents of students with SEND are invited to meet with the SENDCo prior to the start of Year 7
- The SENDCo will attend the annual review of students with an Education, Health and Care Plan once a placement has been finalised
- Copies of children’s SEND records are received and key documentation is kept on a student’s digital file.
If your child is moving to another school/setting
- We will ensure that all records pertaining to your child are passed on as soon as possible per request
- We will respond to the school/SENDCo request for information about any special arrangements or support made for your child
When moving through the school/transition
- Information is maintained on the school’s database system and is accessible to all staff
- Teachers are informed about the SEND status of the child and the area of need via the SEND Inclusion register
- Teaching and learning strategies and student information is made available to teachers
- For students with significant SEND needs, planning/information meetings may take place with their new teachers
- Students with a Hertfordshire Education Health and Care Plan have a transitional review meeting with a personal advisor from the Services for Young People team to discuss matters relating to transition into Key Stages 4 and 5
- A sixth form induction day is held for all students prior to their return to school for information on policies, procedures and routines
- During PSHCE and form time, tutors run sessions that focus on managing the transition to KS5
How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?
- The deployment of resources aims to provide high quality teaching and learning for all our students
- The level of additional provision will be reviewed by the school through consultation with students, parents, teaching and support staff, and relevant external agencies where applicable
- The notional SEN budget and Pupil Premium allocation is used to support students effectively and provide additional support or resources and is dependent on individual needs
- The school identifies students with additional needs on an SEND Inclusion register which is reviewed and updated regularly. This ensures that staff receive information about the needs of children to inform teaching and learning
- Resources may include enhanced subject teacher adaptation, deployment of additional staff or additional equipment depending upon individual need
- Funding may be provided by Local Authority top up funding arrangements
- Top up funding, may be applied for in order to support the needs of individual and groups of children with exceptional needs
How is the decision made about how much support my child will receive?
- Through consultation with parents, teaching and support staff and relevant external agencies
- Additional support, provision or intervention will be allocated according to need after discussion with the relevant member of the Whole School and/or Senior Leadership Team
- The level of support is constantly reviewed and allocated according to student need and the resources available
How can I find information on the local authority’s Local Offer of services and provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disability?
The Children and Families Act (March 2014) requires Local Authorities to “Publish a local offer, setting out in one place information about provision they expect to be available for children and young people in their area who have special educational needs.
The Hertfordshire local offer can be accessed at https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/microsites/local-offer/the-hertfordshire-local-offer.aspx
