SEN Information Report
How does the Academy know if children need extra help and what should parents do if they think their child may have special educational needs?
Students with SEND, including those who are LAC (Looked After Children), are identified in a number of ways:
- Regular internal assessment and scrutiny of results.
- Attendance at Year 5 and 6 Annual Reviews by the SENDCo.
- Liaison with Junior schools in Year 6.
- Concerns/information received from a parent.
- Concerns/information received from a teacher/Teaching Assistant (TA).
- Reading tests annually.
Any parent who may have concerns about their child is asked to contact the student's Pastoral Manager in the first instance.
Which kinds of SEN are provided for?
Our Academy currently provides additional and/or different provision for a range of needs, including:
- Communication and interaction, for example, autistic spectrum disorder, Asperger's Syndrome, speech and language difficulties
- Cognition and learning, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia
- Social, emotional and mental health difficulties, for example, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Sensory and/or physical needs, for example, visual impairments, hearing impairments, processing difficulties, epilepsy
How is the decision made about how much individual support students will receive?
Progress is formally reported to parents twice a year. There is also the opportunity to meet a child's teachers at Parents' Evening once per year. If a parent feels their child may have SEN, there is direct access to the SENDCo. Specialists in the teaching of dyslexia, behaviour management, mental health and an Educational Psychologist are all available to support individual student needs.
How does the Academy support students with Special Educational Needs?
Teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all the students in their class. High quality teaching is our first step in responding to pupils who have SEND. This will be differentiated to ensure that individual students' needs are met and that all students achieve their academic potential.
The Academy's banding and setting structure ensures any student who requires additional support receives this through normal timetabled provision. In addition to this, there is a team of TAs who provide individual or small group support to students.
The Health and Wellbeing Practitioner supports students with a variety of issues. Medical support is also available at the Academy throughout the day.
The Academy's behaviour policy is explicit in terms of systems and support in place. See 'Behaviour Policy' on our website.
Student views are gathered regularly through questionnaires, PASS surveys and Student Voice.
Additional support is provided from the TAs with both emotional and behavioural support.
Senior Leadership team regularly discuss issues relating to SEND. The Academy SENDCo will provide regular updates to all staff regarding any adjustments for students. SEND is reported to the Governors on a regular basis and is a standing item on the agenda. The Governor with specific responsibility for SEND meets with the SENDCo on a regular basis.
What mechanisms are in place for supporting students' overall wellbeing?
The Academy's pastoral system is organised into seven or eight tutor groups per year. Each tutor group has a Pastoral Manager and a team of form tutors. The pastoral team holds regular meetings where individual students are discussed, appropriate strategies implemented and outcomes are assessed regularly.
The pastoral team regularly analyse and evaluate the local context to ensure any issues prevalent in the community are addressed. Assemblies are held regularly to educate and inform students how to support their own wellbeing.
The Academy has a first aid room on both sites which is run by trained staff. All medicines are kept securely locked in the first aid room.
The Academy has a number of support systems in place for addressing behaviour concerns, including Daily Report, Pastoral Support Programmes and outside specialist teachers in behaviour management.
The Academy employs an Education Welfare Officer (EWO) who supports students who have issues with their attendance. Good attendance and punctuality are recognised and celebrated in year group assemblies and attendance prize draws each half term.
Students' views are gathered regularly through student questionnaires, PASS surveys and through Student Voice meetings.
How does the Academy evaluate the effectiveness of SEND provision?
- Reviewing pupils' individual progress each term
- Using pupil questionnaires
- Monitoring by the SENDCo
- Holding annual reviews for pupils with EHC plans
- SISRA observations of learning support staff
- Targeted feedback to learning support staff
- Impact of targeted intervention is tracked
How will parents know how their child is doing?
In addition to normal reporting arrangements, parents are able to discuss their child's progress in a number of ways:
- New Intake Parents' Evening
- Contact with Form Tutor/Pastoral Manager
- Formal request for meeting with Pastoral Manager
- Discussion/meeting with SENDCo
- Parents' Evening
- Options Evening
Assessment data is scrutinised after each Progress Point measure. These results are used to inform teacher planning. The Academy has a sophisticated data assessment system in place which records, monitors and predicts outcomes for each individual student. The expectation is that all students will perform above the national expectation.
How are parents involved in discussions about planning for their child's education?
Parents are able to contact the Academy at any time if they wish to discuss the progress of their child. The Academy also issues each child with a Student Planner. This ensures that parents can contact their child's Form Tutor or class teacher easily and directly. Parents can discuss any concerns with the Academy SENDCo.
How are children able to contribute their views?
Children's views are taken into account through questionnaires and Student Voice. Children are always given the opportunity to discuss their progress or any other concerns they may have with their teachers, pastoral staff and support staff. Online forms are completed by all SEND students to gather their views.
How is learning and development provision matched to individual students' needs?
All students in the Academy are placed into bands and sets according to their ability profile. Students are not set on entry. They will be placed in mixed sets initially and then set following an assessment period. All teachers are expected to adapt their teaching to match individual needs. A team of TAs provide additional support across all years, bands and sets to ensure that all students progress well.
How are the Academy's resources allocated and matched to students' SEN?
The Academy's SEND budget is allocated by the Chief Executive Officer. Responsibility is held by the Principal and Senior Leadership Team. The curriculum is adjusted to suit the need of individual students. Physical resources are available to support students with SEND.
What specialist services and expertise are available at the Academy or accessed by the Academy?
The SENDCo is supported by the LGAT SENDCo. The Academy directly employs an Educational Psychologist, specialist teacher in dyslexia, EWO, Careers Advisor and children's mental health specialist. In addition to this, the Academy has well-established working relationships with many other outside agencies. The Academy utilises external screening tools which are used to identify any unmet learning needs.
How accessible is the Academy environment?
Accessible toilet facilities are available on both sites. All areas on the ground floor, both inside and outside, are fully wheelchair accessible; if necessary, student timetables can be facilitated solely in ground floor rooms. All classrooms on the Upper site are ground floor and only a small proportion at the Lower site are above ground level. Further information is available in the Academy Accessibility Plan.
How are students included in activities outside the classroom including trips?
All students with SEN and/or disabilities are able to access school activities and trips. If necessary, additional TA support is allocated to ensure SEND students are able to take part fully.
What training have the staff supporting students with SEN had, or what are they expected to have?
The SENDCo attends all relevant, up-to-date training, including Child Protection on a regular basis. Training needs are identified through regular SISRA observations by the extended leadership team. The SENDCo will organise both internal and external training to meet the needs identified. All TAs are expected to attend five days' training per year. Specialist teachers in dyslexia and behaviour management provide regular training to the TAs. All teaching staff receive training in the teaching of students with SEND.
How does the Academy prepare and support students to join the Academy, transfer to a new school/academy or the next stage of education and life in order to ensure their well-being?
The SENDCo attends the Annual Review of any student in Year 5 and 6. Year 5 taster days are offered to feeder Primary Schools.
Pre-visits are delivered to Year 6 students identified by Junior schools. Students may be SEND, but may also need additional reassurance before joining the Academy. A team of senior staff visit every feeder school prior to students joining in Year 6. This ensures that all relevant information is shared. A team at the Academy is responsible for Primary Liaison.
From Year 9 onwards, the SENDCo liaises with an external Careers Advisor prior to annual reviews for all students with an EHCP.
Year 10 students carry out a week of Work Experience; the SENDCo communicates with Careers Advisor to facilitate placements. During Year 10 and 11, students are advised and supported on an individual basis to help them in their post-16 choices. An independent Careers Advisor is employed by the Academy to support students making career choices.
Who can parents contact for further information?
The first point of contact for a parent to discuss general concerns would be the child's Pastoral Manager. If a parent is unhappy then the SENDCo, Mrs H Naylor, or another member of the Senior Leadership Team would be available.
If a parent is considering sending their child to the Academy they should contact Louth Academy and ask for admissions.
Parents who may be dissatisfied should put their concerns in writing to the Principal, please refer to the 'Complaints Policy'. ‘Liaise’ is an independent service available for parents to contact if they so wish. Details can be obtained from the Academy.
More information on the Local Offer is available at https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/send-local-offer
