Statement of Intent

At Huntcliff School we recognise that every child is individual and all students are entitled to a quality of provision that will enable them to be happy, stay safe and achieve their true potential both academically and with their skills for life. We believe in inclusion and positive intervention, removing barriers to learning, raising expectations and levels of achievement and progress and we work closely in partnership with other agencies to provide a positive educational experience for all our students including those with a special educational need or disability.

Our information report of our school local offer can be found within the SEND information on the school website. This is written as part of Redcar and Cleveland Council’s Local Offer for children and young people with Special Educational Needs.

We identify the needs of students as early as possible by gathering information from parents, education, health care services and feeder school prior to the child’s entry to Huntcliff School. If you think your child may have special educational needs, you should contact the school in the first instance and speak with the SENDCO.

Our information report of our school local offer can be found on our website. This is written as part of Redcar and Cleveland Council’s Local Offer for children and young people with Special Educational Needs.

Information throughout this policy is in reference to ‘section 69 of the Children and Families Act 2014’, section 6 of the Special Educational needs and disability code of practice:0 – 25 years, regulation 51 and schedule 1 of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014.

There are four broad areas of SEND, these are:

  • Communication and Interaction This area of need includes children with Autism Spectrum Condition ( across the range of the spectrum) and those with Speech, Language and Communication Needs.
  • Cognition and Learning This includes children with Specific Learning Difficulties, learning difficulties relating to literacy and numeracy, Severe Learning Difficulties and Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties.
  • Social, Emotional and Mental Health Difficulties This includes any Students who have an emotional, social or mental health need that is impacting on their ability to learn
  • Sensory and/or Physical Difficulties This area includes children with specific OT needs, sensory processing needs, hearing impairment, visual impairment, multi-sensory impairment and physical difficulties.

Huntcliff School provides support to students with a variety of needs as identified by the four areas of SEND need.

Huntcliff School has required access for all children. It has ramp access to areas of the school and a lift to access the first and second floor corridors. There are Inclusive toilets positioned throughout the school and a medical room located at main reception.

Where possible LSA support is allocated with regard to supporting a child’s individual needs for access to the site.

An EVAC chair is available at strategic points throughout the school.

Key staff are involved with writing health care plans and risk assessments in conjunction with parents/carers, students and professionals.

Our school ethos recognises there are particular groups of students whose needs and circumstances require additional consideration and support by everyone in our school community in order to support them both academically (removing barriers to learning) and with skills for life and preparing for adulthood. Whilst still ensuring children make academic progress at Huntcliff School we ensure that all students are fully included and supported to ensure that, regardless of their specific needs, they make the best possible progress academically and socially and emotionally. Students are supported to access all trips, visits and additional enrichment activities.

Students can access Inclusion during social times which provides a small group environment for those that are anxious about busy break and lunchtimes.

In order to review SEND provision and make progress Huntcliff School encourages feedback from staff, parents and students throughout the year. This is completed through students reviews, parents evening, parent tours and data analysis. Student progress is monitored throughout the year and timely and appropriate interventions put in place as needed.

Students identified as requiring SEN support will where appropriate, be supported by a LSA. We ensure staff know and understand the needs of students and that they are able to access and thrive through learning in a broad and balanced curriculum.

Specialist Support and Services

Where students require additional support where additional funding and support from the local authority this will be sought from the Local Authority through Resource and Support Panel. The SENDCO will advise where this is appropriate and work with parents, students and the local authority to access the funding and support.

Huntcliff School seeks advice and support from external agencies in the identification and assessment a SEND provision. Working cohesively with external agencies is essential to the effective identification and application of provision in our school. If a concern is raised it will be brought to the attention of the SENDCO and/or pastoral team who will then inform parents/carers in line with the schools Safeguarding Policy.

The following are some of the agencies who will be involved as necessary:

  • CAMHS
  • Social Services
  • Early Help Support Services
  • Local Authority Support Services
  • Time for Your Counselling
  • Doorways
  • Educational Psychology Services
  • Occupational Health
  • Health Services

In addition to support from external services and LSA support students are also supported by the Pastoral team, their role is to listen to the voice of the child and liaise with parents/carers. In addition to this, students first port of call on a daily basis is their form tutor. Any concerns around behaviour, welfare and bullying is addressed through following the school’s behaviour policy and anti-bullying policy (appendix to the behaviour policy).

Exam Access Arrangements

Identified and diagnosed SEND needs does not automatically result in a student having exam access arrangements. The process of exam access arrangements is governed by the Joint Qualifications Council (JCQ) and the Awarding Body as to agree the access arrangement on application after students have been assessed to identify whether they meet a set criteria.

Students are assessed using a series of tests by the Inclusion Manager who is fully qualified to assess students. Parents and students are informed of exam access arrangements and support if they are approved by JCQ and the awarding body.

Assess, Plan, Do, Review

Provision for pupils with special educational needs is a whole-school responsibility, requiring a whole-school response. In addition to the governing body, the Head Teacher, the SENDCO / SEND Department, all other members of staff have important responsibilities. Central to the work of every class and every subject is a continuous cycle of planning, teaching, assessment and evaluation that takes account of the wide range of abilities, aptitudes and interests of the pupils. The majority of pupils will learn and progress within these arrangements. However, for pupils with SEND it may be necessary to provide an enhanced level of provision that supports and develops their learning abilities.

Identifying pupils with SEND 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 and emotional as well as interaction and communication needs.

Slow progress and low attainment will not automatically mean a pupil is recorded as having SEND. In tracking the learning and development of pupils with SEND, the school will:

  • Base decisions on the insights of the pupil and their parents/carers.
  • Set pupils challenging targets.
  • Track pupils’ progress towards these goals.
  • Review additional or different provisions made for them.
  • Promote positive personal and social development outcomes.
  • Base approaches on the best possible evidence and ensure that they are having the required impact on progress.

Where a pupil continues to make little or no progress, or is working substantially below expected levels, the school will consult with parents/carers before involving specialists.

Detailed assessments will identify a full range of the child/young person’s needs.

The child’s needs, where possible, will be defined under the four areas of need as identified in the ‘Special educational needs and disability code of practice:0 to25 years’.

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/carers.

We will use this to determine the support that is needed and whether we can provide it by being able to offer reasonable adjustments to our core offer, or whether something different or additional is needed through the support of the Local Authority.

Huntcliff School believes that a close working partnership with students and parents is key to students making progress and ensuring the correct level of support is in place:

  • Early identification and assessment of SEND to plan and implement appropriate support and intervention.
  • SEND Support plan drawn up and targets put in place with the student and parents.
  • Review of support plans three times during the academic year with a review completed by teachers and student and parent voice sought and adaptations made where necessary.

The Voice of the Child/Young Person

Young people with special educational needs often have a unique knowledge of their own needs and their views about what sort of help they would like to help them make the most of their education will be ascertained. They will be encouraged to participate in all the decision-making and review processes and contribute to the assessment of their needs and their learning journey. They will be fully involved in all discussions and are involved in decisions regarding their educational requirements as they leave school/sixth form and prepare for adulthood.

Transition Support

Students are supported at key transition points in their educational career. The SENDCO, Pastoral Lead and Inclusion Manager work closely to support students transitioning from key stage 2 to 3 and from key stage 4 into Post-16 provision.

Where a child has an Educational Health and Care Plan a representative of the school will, where possible, attend Year 6 annual reviews.

Open evenings and prospective parent evenings will be held to allow students and parents the opportunity to meet the SENDCO and Inclusion Manager and discuss the provision for students with SEND.

Where a student is joining from Key Stage 2, the SENDCO and pastoral lead contact and visit primaries in order to meet students and teaching staff together information so that support plans and where necessary enhanced transition can take place.

Transition into post-16 is supported by the pastoral lead and careers lead alongside the SENDCO and Inclusion Manager who liaise with providers and support students to complete visits and application forms and refer into the local authority for additional support as necessary.

Activities

We work to ensure all of our students are able to participate in school activities. No student is omitted from a trip due to their specific needs. Where required an individual care plan will be devised by designated staff and we will ensure staff are aware of students with special educational needs and what those needs are. Staff will be given training to support students with their needs.

Complaints

We value the relationships we have with parents and carers, however should a concern arise, parents/carers are asked to contact the SENCO in the first instance to discuss the concern.

Any complaints will be dealt with in accordance with the Huntcliff School complaints policy. For a copy of the complaints policy please refer to the school website.

Key Staff

Miss L Wilkinson – Head Teacher – lwilkinson@huntcliff.co.uk

Miss A O’Shaughnessy – SENDCO – aoshaughnessy@huntcliff.co.uk

Mrs D Collis – Inclusion Manager – dcollis@huntcliff.co.uk