SEND & Inclusion

The SEND department is committed to providing a positive future for all. We believe that every student should be valued as an individual, and that all should be able to achieve the best they can irrespective of background or prior attainment.

Introduction

We understand the difference between equality and equity, and aim to match provision with individual need, ultimately aspiring to remove barriers to learning by equipping students with the tools they need to succeed and enabling all to become independent learners.

We have a whole school approach to Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) which upholds the right of every child to a full and balanced curriculum, shaped as necessary to support their individual needs.

All staff in school have a responsibility for maximising achievement and opportunity for all our students, enabling them to become confident individuals who make a successful transition in to adulthood and lead fulfilling lives. We are committed to ensuring that all our students with SEND get the support they need to succeed and can engage in all the activities of the school.

The SENDCo, Miss Alex Pearson, works with a team of Teaching Assistants and all teachers to provide for the individual learning needs of all students.

How we identify need and plan support – three levels of assessment and support

LEVEL 1 – all students

Assess

We foster close links with feeder schools, and liaise carefully about every student coming to Prince William School. The SENDCo visits each school in the summer term, meeting individuals and discussing transfer arrangements. Some individual students are invited to visit Prince William School prior to New Intake Day in order to familiarise themselves with the school and ease their transfer. The SENDCo, the SEND staff and the Pastoral Team liaise together to discuss individuals and prepare confidential lists of special needs for the information of all teaching staff.

For students joining the school into year groups other than year 7, or coming from schools not in our cluster, staff gather similar information from their previous school by phone and email.

Identification of need is also assessed using a range of base line assessments such as baseline assessments when students start at PWS, end of Key Stage tests (SATs), progress data from the teachers and individual assessments carried out by the SEN team.

Referrals for support from the SEND team can be made by teachers, parents/carers or students.

Support may also be put in place in response to a student’s diagnosis of need.

Plan

Teachers will identify barriers to learning by reading information provided about individual students, discussion with the students themselves and discussion with parents/carers when necessary.

Do

It is our policy that, as far as possible, support for students should be to address individual needs and be delivered within the mainstream classroom. For most students, Quality First Teaching addresses individual needs, and teachers are trained to meet needs through differentiated teaching.

Review

The school monitors the progress of all students through the analysis of academic progress data, attendance data and behaviour data. This information, coupled with information gleaned from parent evenings where relevant, enables the school to re-assess each student’s needs and make decisions about whether to continue current provision or to move on to stage 2 support.
LEVEL 2 – SEND support

Assess

For some students assessments and referrals may reveal a higher level of need and the SENDCo will coordinate further assessment to establish the level of need.

Plan

For these students, the SENDCo will identify and plan the support necessary for each student.

Do

A few students may be withdrawn from some lessons for a specific, limited time in order to access support such as Accelerated Reader, Star Maths, and Nurture.

Some students may be supported by Teaching Assistants working alongside them in class, helping to differentiate work and advising on the needs of individual students.

Some students may be able to use The Bridge to support their mental health and wellbeing, and improve attendance.

Some students will be provided with support from a range of other interventions and strategies.

Each student has an Edukey Pupil Passport and staff use the targets and strategies on this to inform planning.

Requests for outside professional support is made by the SENDCo in accordance with the Code of Practice (2015).

Review

Students receiving SEND support are monitored using a secure database and their targets and progress towards those targets are monitored and reviewed termly.
LEVEL 3 – High Needs and EHCP

Assess

The SENDCo will use external expert advice to assess and diagnose need for a small number of students with higher needs. Requests for outside professional support is made by the SENDCo in accordance with the Code of Practice (2015).

Plan

The SENDCo will meet with the students, their parents/carers, and relevant external advisors to develop an individual plan for all students with High Needs or an Educational & Health Care Plan.

Pupil Passports and Learning Plans are then accessible on Edukey and staff use these to inform planning and offer support to each individual.

Do

A variety of support strategies may be used, according to the needs and barriers to learning identified in the planning stage.

Only in exceptional circumstances will students be exempt from the National Curriculum.

Close and regular links with outside agencies, medical staff and other professionals

Review

High Needs students and students with an EHCP are monitored using a secure database and their targets and progress towards those targets are monitored by the SENDCo in meetings involving the parents/cares and external advisors regularly.

Facilities and Support

Well-resourced teaching rooms
Small quiet rooms, for exams, individual work and visiting professionals
Accelerated Reader
Star Maths
‘The Bridge’ (see below)
Pastoral care for all students
Asdan course - alternative to one GCSE course (Year 10/11)
Support lessons – alternative to GCSE course (year 10/11)
Reading Buddy Scheme
Handwriting/Typing support
Key Worker for identified students
Access arrangements for identified students in formal examinations in KS4 and KS5

The Bridge – supporting Mental Health

The Bridge is an intervention space for students who are struggling to meet the demands of the school environment. Our driving purpose is to support students back into lessons and equip them with the necessary skillset to succeed in all areas. To implement this vision, The Bridge is a space where time limited and specific interventions are provided to a much larger number of students. This will ensure students are receiving the best possible, long term targeted support overseen by Mrs Stone and Mrs Dalziel.

The Bridge is accessed by students on an invite only basis and does not operate as a ‘drop in’ or ‘time out’ space, allowing more structured time with those students in need of interventions.

The Bridge will allow students to proactively manage their own emotions and mental health needs, and in doing so, will equip them with the long-term tools and techniques needed to build resilience and be ambitious, honouring our PWS commitment to learning for life.

Further Information

The SEN team provides additional strategies and support for students who have been identified as having Special Educational Needs. In accordance with the SEN code of Practice (2015), children identified as having additional needs require provisions to be made that are “additional to and different from” the core provision of the academy.

We have a secure database available to all staff. This provides both up-to-date information about the learning needs of individual students and general information about specific barriers to learning.

We maintain close and regular links with outside agencies, medical staff and other professionals

We provide careful advice and support for Transition at 11+, 16 + and 18+.

We value partnership with parents and are committed to working in close co-operation with parents for the good of each student. Parents of students with special educational needs will be contacted and meetings arranged to discuss proposed provision. All parents are encouraged to contact the school as and when they have concerns. Parents of students with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) are always invited to annual review meetings in addition to the usual Parents' Evening.