The Deanes
Curriculum Support Policy
Review: Annually /

This policy is designed to set out The Deanes’ aims and objectives.

Introduction and Philosophy

All members of staff, in conjunction with the authorities, (Governing Body and LA) have a responsibility to ensure that every student has an equal opportunity to attain their maximum potential in all aspects of the curriculum. Students are entitled to a broad and balanced curriculum, including the National Curriculum (incorporating personalised provision), and their relative progress will be recorded, valued and reviewed.

The Deanes believe all students, regardless of their ability, are entitled to an education that enables them to:

  • Excel
  • Become confident individuals equipped to deal with our evolving World.

Definition of Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND):

The Deanes recognises that a child or young person has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them, as defined in the 2014 Code of Practice, if they:

  • Have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or
  • Have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools.

Students who experience difficulty in accessing the curriculum may also have a particular gift or talent. This is addressed through the Gifted and Talented Provision, coordinated by Mrs L. Stroud (Deputy Headteacher), in addition to provisions made for their specific need.

Special Educational Provision may be triggered when students fail to achieve adequate progress, despite having had access to a differentiated programme. Parents* and staff will be informed that the child has special educational needs and appropriate provision identified to meet the student’s individual need(s) will be made.

* Throughout this policy, “parents” should be taken to include all those with parental responsibility, including corporate parents and carers.

Special Educational Needs are identified in terms of:

  • Little or no progress despite the use of targeted teaching approaches and a differentiated curriculum.
  • Working at levels significantly below age expectations, particularly in Literacy or Numeracy.
  • Presenting persistent emotional and / or behavioural difficulties, which have not been managed by appropriate strategies usually employed.
  • Sensory or physical impairments that result in little progress despite the provision of appropriate aids or equipment.
  • Poor communication or interaction, requiring specific interactions and adaptations to access learning.

Curriculum Support [Provision] is achieved by:

1. Identifying and assessing individual student's needs.

2. Reporting of students' needs to all members of school staff.

3. Providing an appropriate curriculum, taking into account

  • National Curriculum and examination syllabuses
  • Continuity and progression
  • Departmental development plans.

4. Delivering an appropriate curriculum, taking into account

  • Suitable teaching materials
  • Effective, differentiated teaching strategies
  • A supportive learning environment
  • Encouraging a positive self-image.

5. Providing learning support through

  • Curriculum development
  • Support teaching
  • Bespoke training
  • INSET.

6. Using outside agencies where necessary and appropriate.

7. Monitoring individual progress and making revisions where necessary.

8. Ensuring that parents / carers understand the process and involving them in the support of their child’s learning.

9. Encouraging students with SEND to actively participate in all decision making processes and contributing to the assessment of their needs, meetings and transition process.

10. Making regular reports to governors regarding SEND issues to raise awareness and to aid implementation of processes and procedures.

11. Learning Support Assistants, and teachers collaborate effectively.

Structural Arrangements

Deputy Headteacher/SENCO:

Mrs Lisa Stroud, B.Ed (Hons) MA (Ed), Advanced SENCO

Roles and Responsibilities:

The roles and responsibilities of school personnel with regard to special educational needs are given below.

Governing Body:

  • In partnership with the Headteacher, the Governors have responsibility for deciding the school’s general policy and approach to meet the needs of students with SEND, including health and social services bodies, LA support services and voluntary organisations.
  • Ensuring, through the appraisal process, that the Headteacher sets objectives and priorities in the school development plan, which includes provision for SEND.
  • Monitoring the policy through the school’s self-review procedures.
  • All governors are informed of the school’s provision, including funding, equipment, staffing and effectiveness.
  • Reporting annually to parents on the school’s policy through the website.

The Headteacher:

  • Setting objectives and priorities in the school development plan, which includes SEND.
  • Line-managing day-to-day provision for students with SEND, including setting a budget for supporting students within the school’s overall financial resources.
  • Informing the Governing body.

Deputy Headteacher/SENCO:

  • Disseminating information and raising awareness of SEND issues throughout the school.
  • Is responsible to the Headteacher for the management of SEND provision and the day-to-day operation of the policy.
  • Managing and developing the roles of Learning Support Assistants, through training and Performance management
  • Screening and identifying students.
  • Co-ordinating provision for students.
  • Supporting the teaching and learning of students with SEND.
  • Keeping accurate records of all students with SEND.
  • Drawing up, reviewing and monitoring Student Passports for those with SEND and others, as required.
  • Monitoring departmental delivery of the Curriculum Support Policy.
  • Recruiting and deploying the School’s Curriculum Support Team, which includes Learning Support Assistants, and Specialist Teachers/Tutors.
  • Being responsible and accountable for the whole-school SEND resources and sharing with the Headteacher and Business Manager responsibility for the allocation of funding devolved directly from the LA.
  • Liaising with parents and carers of students with SEND.
  • Liaising with and advising fellow teachers and support staff.
  • Liaising with schools including feeder primaries and specialist settings.
  • Liaising with other SENCOs and Heads of Learning Support, both locally and nationally.
  • Liaising with outside agencies.
  • Contributing to in-service training and external training (as appropriate).
  • Being involved in preparing the Curriculum Support report, which the Headteacher forwards to the Governors.

Subject Leaders:

  • Departmental Practice to inform the writing of EHC Plans according to the school’s Curriculum Support Policy.
  • Ensuring appropriate curriculum provision and delivery clearly stated in their schemes of work.
  • Ensuring appropriate teaching resources for students with SEND.
  • Raising awareness of colleagues responsibilities towards SEND issues through a representative.

Other Staff :

“All teachers are teachers of special needs”

  • Devising strategies and identifying appropriate differentiated methods of access to the curriculum, in conjunction with the Learning Support Faculty.
  • Recognising that central to the work of every teacher is the cycle of planning, teaching, assessing and evaluating that takes account of the wide range of abilities, aptitudes and interests of the students in their classes.
  • Ensuring Student Passports are considered in lessons.
  • Monitoring progress of students with SEND against agreed targets and objectives.
  • Be fully aware of the school’s procedures for SEND.
  • Raising individual concerns to SENCO.

Dyslexia Therpaist/teacher/Tutor:

Mrs Lesley Walker,

Learning Support Assistants:

  • Support students with SEND and the wider school population.
  • Plan and deliver individualised programmes where appropriate.
  • Monitor progress against targets using Student Passports and through Student Progress Sheets.
  • Assist with drawing up individual plans for students and supporting Passport development, as required.
  • Contribute to the review progress, either in person or with a written report.
  • Work with small groups in or out of the classroom, under the direction of the class teacher.
  • Support students on Educational Visits, as required.
  • Jointly plan with teachers, where appropriate.

Special Facilities .

The Deanes has an excellent reputation for working with students with physical disabilities, ensuring they are fully integrated into school life. The building is equipped with special ramps and lifts to allow access to all subject areas. Separate cloakroom and changing facilities are also provided. Specialist staff are trained to meet the needs of individual students.

Our Learning Support Department includes a Dyslexia Centre, and a suit of rooms for small group work, mentoring, and additional support across the curriculum.

Inclusion

At The Deanes, all students irrespective of ability, race, gender or need, are respected and valued as individuals. This is reflected in the schools organisational and curriculum structure, its assessment and rewards systems, and the arrangements made for careers’ education and work experience’. Students with SEND are integrated and included fully into the life of the school as a whole, including its social and cultural activities.

The Deanes believes that:

  • the needs, rights and entitlements of individual students are the focus of both an educational and social environment;
  • staff are entitled to an effective and supportive environment, consistent quality training, an effective learning environment and good quality advice;
  • the family and community should work together.

Monitoring and Evaluation of this Policy

The degree of success of the policy and its implementation will be evaluated using the following indicators:

  • Recorded views of students and parents or carers, particularly at meetings.
  • Recorded views by teachers on students’ competence, confidence and social acceptability.
  • Measurable or observable gains from students, particularly in terms of set targets, screening tests and other assessments carried out where appropriate and examination results.
  • Evidence of planning and targeted expenditure for students with SEND.
  • The SENCO reviewing procedures in consultation with subject leaders, Senior Leadership Team and outside agencies.
  • Number of complaints received.

In association with the Headteacher, the Learning Support Department produces an annual report which is included in the Governor's annual report to parents and carers.

Identification, Assessment and Provision

Identification

The school uses the graduated response as outlined in “The Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs (2014)”. To help with this process a variety of screening procedures are used. Copies of assessment scores,are then disseminated to teaching staff.

New Intake Students in Year 7.

a) Primary Liaison

Feeder primary schools are visited / contacted throughout the year prior to transfer. Any student identified as having a “learning difficulty” is referred to the SENCO. Contact is then made with the primary school.

The LA notifies the school about students who are transferring with EHC Plans in the spring of their year 6. Where practicable, the SENCOattends their Annual Review to ensure a smooth transition is made.

Relevant information is disseminated to teaching staff before transfer.

b) Initial Screening

  • KS2 tests
  • Cognitive Ability Tests: reading and spelling
  • Dyslexia screening
  • Edinburgh Reading Assessment
  • Vernon Spelling Assessment

Screening in Other Year Groups

Other screening tests are administered when required.

Staff and Senior Co-Educator and Co-Educator Observation

  • Members of staff consult with the SENCOif they notice students who may need specialist help during the school year. Evidence for that concern must be produced, prior to any testing and / or additional intervention being undertaken.
  • The SENCO may then ask for additional diagnostic assessment to be undertaken from other professionals.

Referrals by Parents or Carers

  • A student’s parent may express concern. Once information is gathered the process is the same as for staff referrals.
  • All parental referrals are acted upon.

Provision

Teaching students with SEND is a whole school response. Central to the work of every teacher and 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 students. The majority of students at The Deanes learn and progress through these differentiated arrangements.

A Graduated Response is adopted for students identified as having SEND. A level and type of support is provided to enable the student to achieve adequate progress. Provision is identified and managed by the SENCObut will be planned and delivered by teaching and support staff.

Graduated Response

Quality First Teaching and Personalisation.

The Deanes is committed to ensuring that all teaching is at least good and much is outstanding. High quality teaching is that which is differentiated and personalised to meet the needs of the majority of students. All members of staff understand that they are teachers of students with SEND. The Deanes aims to ensure:

All staff provide high quality teaching which allows students to learn effectively. Professional development sessions take place after school weekly with a focus on developing teaching and learning strategies to ensure all students can access the curriculum.

When students are identified, who have a significantly greater difficulty in learning, or who have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities The Deanes works closely with the student and their parents to discuss what the specific barriers to learning are and to understand why a student may not be making progress. For students with additional needs a personalised programme of support will be determined and may include:

(refer to Provision and Access Map at The Deanes)

Once a potential special educational need is identified, actions are taken to put effective support in place. These actions form part of a cycle through which earlier decisions and actions are revisited, refined and revised with the growing understanding of the pupils’ needs and of what supports the pupil in making good progress and securing good outcomes. This assessment is regularly reviewed, to ensure that support is matched to need, and that a clear picture of the interventions put in place and their effect is developed. (In some cases, outside professionals from health or social services may be considered). All teachers and support staff who work with the child are made aware of their needs, the support provided and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required. These are recorded on the school’s information system. The effectiveness of the support and the impact on the child’s progress is reviewed in line with the agreed date. The impact of the support provided, along with the views of the pupil and their parents, is feed back into the analysis of the student’s needs, and the strategies revised in light of the student’s progress and development.

c) Educational Health Care (EHC) Plan

If a student fails to make adequate progress and has demonstrated a significant cause for concern, the school and / or a parent may decide to request that the LA undertakes a statutory assessment. This may lead to the student being provided with aEHC Plan.

The SENCO is responsible, on a daily basis, for providing support and mentoring, allocates students with EHC Plans specific support. The process of target setting, monitoring and reviewing continues.

Provision of an Appropriate Curriculum:

Through their departmental development plans, the SEF and in conjunction with SEN EHC Plans, provision for students with SEND is regularly reviewed and revised.

It is the responsibility of individual faculties to ensure that the requirements of the National Curriculum are met for those students with SEND in partnership with the Learning Support Faculty.

Allocation of Resources

The school is funded to meet the needs of all their students through its core budget but is additionally funded to support provision for SEND through:

  • Deprivation and underachievement factors, based on the number of students receiving free meals and those underachieving on entry.
  • Funding for specific students to meet their assessed needs.
  • Delegated and designated budgets.
  • Also, in some part, the Pupil Premium.

Capitation:

  • The SENCOis allocated a departmental capitation each financial year.
  • Individual departments are responsible, through their own capitation allowances, for identifying subject specific materials or resources for students with additional needs.

Partnership Ethos.

The Deanes has an open door policy encouraging parents and carers to engage in their child’s learning, with a personalised approach learning. From making an application for a place at The Deanes and throughout their child’s time at the school, parents and carers are given regular opportunities to discuss their child’s needs, progress and concerns.

(refer to Provision and Access Map at The Deanes)

Records of formal meetings are kept for future reference.

The Deanes believes it to be essential all students are given an opportunity to express their views regarding their education. This is particularly important for students with SEND who require a more personalised approach. A mentoring culture has been established across the school involving teachers, tutors, governors, volunteers from the community and students themselves to give support to other students. This is a specific strategy used when reviewing the progress and needs of students with SEND incorporating the use of Student Passports and One Page Profiles as a tool to provide information to teachers. The SENCO holds termly mentoring meetings with the students to refocus learning before statutory/review meetings to ensure their involvement.

The school is committed to hearing the voice of the student and ensuring their needs are met. It seeks to ensure that the students are empowered to bring to the attention of staff their needs and the best ways in which they can be supported. This may be through:

  • School Council
  • Student Voice Forums.
  • Young Leaders.

External Support

The school aims to work in partnership with other agencies in order to provide an integrated support based on the needs of the student. The main external support agencies used by The Deanes include (this is not an exhaustive list):