SEND at Coal Clough Academy
Aims and Objectives: ‘Every teacher is a teacher of SEN’.
Aims:
- Provide every pupil with access to a broad and balanced education. This is in line with the SEN Code of Practice
- Promote independence, equality and consideration and respect for others
- Ensure that we celebrate a wide range of success
- Support all pupils by offering multiple pathways for progression
- Create an ‘open-door’ ethos for parents/carers
- To ensure that all pupils have an opportunity to succeed into further education
Objectives:
- To ensure that referral information is detailed and that the needs of pupils are identified as early as possible
- Regular monitoring of the progress of all pupils to ensure full potential
- Make appropriate provision within school to overcome barriers to learning. This will be co-ordinated by the SEND team but monitored and delivered by all staff to ensure targets are met and progress made
- The Link (Intervention Room) will support additional needs and promote a learning environment which allows pupils to feel success
- Include parents and carers to gain the best understanding of the student, involve them in all aspects of their education and feedback regularly on progress made
- Work with, and in support of, outside agencies when extra help is needed such as Educational Psychology, ELCAS or Speech and Language services
- Encourage students by offering the opportunity to voice their own opinions and encourage positive relationships with peers and staff
What kinds of special educational needs do we make provision for in our school?
Coal Clough Academy is an Alternative Provision School. We cater for young people at Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 needing to be re-engaged with education by providing an academic, practical and vocational range of courses with a strong link to English, Maths and Science. We are committed to an inclusive education and aim to provide personalised learning to meet the needs of individuals and developing personal progress.
Through the vocational pathways we allow students to flourish in a more practical environment where appropriate. Construction, Motor Vehicle Mechanics to name a few actively engage the pupils into a curriculum which is full of rigor and pace.
Coal Clough Academy offers highly supportive small group and 1:1 provision, including specialist therapeutic intervention which provides a short term intervention strategy addressing barriers to learning arising from social, emotional and / or mental health issues. We utilise our resources to offer initial respite from mainstream in some cases while we work with schools in supporting the Graduated Response and EHCP process, completing the necessary documentation.
How does our school know if your child needs extra help?
We liaise closely with the child’s previous school and our referring schools to find out as much background information as we can about your child, their individual needs and any issues, academic or personal, that they may experience.
The SEND team is responsible for coordinating all support for pupils with SEND to ensure that all pupils have access to an appropriate curriculum.
We know when pupils need help if
- During induction/ baseline assessments an area in the pupils’ knowledge is identified highlighting potential strengths and discrepancies in the pupils’ learning
- Concerns are raised by subject staff, parents or pupils
- Limited progress is being made in key areas
- Behaviour patterns suggest that the pupil is struggling to access the curriculum
Who can you speak to at our school if you think your child may have special educational needs?
If you have concerns about your child, you can come and discuss them at any time. You can talk to any of the following people:
- Holly Clarke – Headteacher
- Richard Burbery – SENDCo
- Demi Hartley – Assistant SENDCo
How do we know what progress your child is making and how will we keep your informed?
Monitoring progress is an integral and essential part of teaching and learning at Coal Clough Academy. Pupils, staff, parents and governors are involved in reviewing the impact of interventions and learning. Progress data for all learners is collated by the whole school and monitored by form tutors, subject staff, the SEND team and Senior Leaders.
We encourage an ‘open door’ policy providing parents with the opportunity for face-to-face discussion or to phone for information and/or support.
We hold regular parent contact days throughout the year, and our communication panel is run termly with the SEND team and link schools, providing key information about the way a pupil is performing within our learning environment.
How will our school support your child and how will teaching be adapted to meet their needs?
We are committed to giving your child every opportunity to achieve. Using the results from early testing, support will be put in place in the classroom and individually if necessary, to help your child make the best possible progress.
All teachers at Coal Clough Academy are teachers of SEN, differentiating work to match the needs of pupils. They are kept fully aware of the school’s procedures for identifying, supporting, assessing and making provision for students with SEND. Regular updates and supporting information about types of SEND and individual students’ needs are readily accessible for staff.
We will follow the graduated approach and the four-part cycle of Assess, Plan, Do, Review.
Assess: The class or subject teacher will work with the SENCo and SEND Team to carry out a clear analysis of the pupil’s needs. This will draw on:
- Baselines completed on Induction
- The teacher’s assessment and experience of the pupil
- Their previous progress and attainment and behaviour
- Other teachers’ assessments, where relevant
- The individual’s development in comparison to their peers and national data
- The views of pupil and parent
- Advice from external support services, if relevant
Plan: Teachers who work with the pupil will be made aware of the pupil’s needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided, and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required.
Do: All teachers and support staff are responsible for working with the pupil and implement recommendations from the plan and monitor the progress being made. Ongoing support, guidance and advice is provided if required.
Review: We will regularly review the effectiveness of the support and interventions and their impact on the pupil’s progress.
If a student fails to make adequate progress and has demonstrated a significant cause for concern, the school and/or a parent/carer may decide to request that the LA undertakes a statutory/integrated assessment. This may lead to the student being provided with an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP).
The SEND team is responsible for providing support and monitoring this for students with an EHCP focusing on the outcomes of the EHCP. The process of target setting, monitoring and reviewing remains the same as at SEND Support and Teaching Assistants are fully involved.
Access to our dedicated SEND/Intervention area, The Link is available if extra support is needed on a short or longer term intervention such as literacy and numeracy catch up, emotional regulation, development of social skills etc, as well as more intensive therapeutic support being offered. The intervention that is provided is determined by the needs of the individual and will focus on specific areas of need including:
- Communication and interaction e.g. autistic spectrum conditions, speech and language difficulties
- Cognition and learning e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia, moderate/severe learning difficulties
- Social, emotional and mental health difficulties e.g. attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression
- Sensory and/or physical needs e.g. visual impairments, hearing impairments, processing difficulties
Additional provision with the support of specialist teachers, an ELCAS Key Worker and Educational Psychologists may be necessary.
Access arrangements can be put in place for external exams if necessary, such as a separate room, an individual reader and additional time.
How are decisions made about the type and level of support my child will receive?
Discussions are held with our referring schools and information is gathered to ensure your child receives the appropriate support.
Following the assessment process throughout the school year, recommendations are made to the relevant teaching staff.
If, through discussion with yourself, the SEND team and other staff in the school, it is agreed that the school cannot meet your child’s needs through existing resources and interventions, an application may be made to the Local Authority for an Education, Health and Care Plan. This process can be found on the local offer website.
How will our school help you to support your child’s learning?
We actively encourage you as a parent to be involved with your child’s learning. Staff are always available to discuss your child’s programmes of study and work is available for your child to undertake at home. For further details, contact the school.
What specialist services and expertise are available or accessible through our school?
We work closely with and have access to the following agencies to support your child’s needs:
- Access to Educational Psychologists if appropriate
- LA Specialist SEND Teachers
- Speech and Language Therapists
- Specialist Teacher – Dyslexia
- Specialist Teacher – Access Arrangements
- On site ELCAS (child and adolescent mental health service) Link Worker
- SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (formerly Parent Partnership):
- School Nurse
- Pastoral Support
- Careers Advice
- Further support can be accessed through the Local Authority Local Offer. The Lancashire Local Offer sets out a range of support and services available to you and your child and can be accessed at:
How are staff in school supported to work with children with special educational needs and what training do they have?
We have an ongoing programme of training and development available in our school for all staff. Our SEND Lead, Richard Burbery, holds the National Award for Special Educational Needs Coordination Qualification as does Holly Clarke, Headteacher. All staff undertake training in relation to safeguarding, behaviour management and awareness of key SEND areas.
How will our school prepare and support your child when joining our school and when transferring to a new school?
Before your child joins our school, both parents and pupils are invited for an informal tour of the building and to discuss any concerns that you may have. This is a good opportunity to meet staff and pupils and discuss subjects, timetables and any issues arising, such as any support the young person has received or may need while at school.
When pupils move on to a reintegration school/further education, a holistic and multi-agency approach is employed to ensure that the best decisions are made for the young person and their plans for the future, incorporating parental input.
We have close contacts with colleges and knowledge of courses. We encourage and support our pupils to visit colleges to find out what is available and also support them through the interview process.
If the pupil is Key Stage 3 and on a short term stay at the school, additional meetings may take place and further discussions with the feeder schools will allow the transition to mainstream/special school feel smooth. The pastoral team will work closely with the pupil and family when it comes to a time when provision changes over.
