- Ensuring equality of opportunity for all – pupils should be able to access as wide a range of learning opportunities as well as be fully integrated into school life socially;
- Ensuring that the specific needs of individual pupils are identified and met, whether on a short or long-term basis and that all staff are involved in this process, as well as outside agencies, where necessary;
- Providing appropriate support to allow all pupils to achieve the highest possible levels of performance, both academically (pupils with SEND should be making at least expected progress) but also in other areas of school life;
- Raising the self-esteem and aspirations of pupils with SEND and developing their skills as independent learners;
- Developing and maintaining communication and effective partnerships with parents;
- Following the requirements and recommendations of the SEND Code of Practice 2014.
Pupils are supported for a range of needs, such as Moderate Learning Difficulties, Emotional and Social Difficulties, Specific Learning Difficulties, Physical Difficulties, Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Speech, Language and Communication Difficulties.
Support staff are deployed for both in-class support and to deliver interventions. In-class support is targeted to pupils with SEND or an Educational Health Care Plan. Interventions are based on individual needs, assessed by both support staff and teachers or parents raising concerns. The interventions, which we provide, cover a variety of needs, such as:
- Reading intervention,
- Numeracy,
- Social Use of Language (confidence and social skill development),
- Cogmed (to support working memory),
- Art Therapy,
Teaching staff deliver targeted lessons in Key Stage 3 that focus on the development of literacy and numeracy skills, and in Key Stage 4, we offer interventions specifically tailored to develop literacy skills to support answering exam questions.
Where the need for additional support is identified, this may come in a variety of forms, as appropriate to individual pupils (some of which are outlined below):
- Specifically differentiated teaching;
- Additional small group intervention work for Literacy and Maths using the IDL programme but also targeted reading comprehension and numeracy work;
- In-class support from a Teaching Assistant, either one-to-one or on a group basis;
- Occasionally one-to-one support from a Teaching Assistant outside of the classroom;
- Sessions for some pupils, focusing on communication/social issues; including art therapy, emotional literacy support, social skills and friendship work, and life skills;
- Small group interventions, e.g. for handwriting; working memory (CogMed);
- Provision of access arrangements in assessments and exams;
- Inclusion on the SEND register – regular review meetings to assess achievement and set targets - information is summarised in a student support plan. These will be completed alongside your child’s form tutor and the pupil with support and advice offered by the SENCo when needed;
- Involvement of external agencies (speech and language therapists, educational psychologists, parent support advisors, enhanced mainstream schools for specific learning difficulties, communication and interaction and behavioural and emotional difficulties, specialist teachers for hearing and visually impaired young people);
- Health care plans and support provided, e.g. medication for pupils with specific medical needs.
Pupils with SEND are monitored via the SEN support plan review system. Detailed feedback on pupil progress is collected, shared with parents and the pupil, and used to agree on personal targets. Parents and pupils are fully involved in this process, which also takes into account pupils’ strengths, aspirations and interests. The effectiveness and impact of any intervention is reviewed regularly to ensure that the action taken is appropriate and is helping the pupil to progress.
Your knowledge and understanding of your child’s needs are essential to support Risedale in making the best provision for them. We welcome and value the involvement of parents and pupils in all aspects of the SEND provision at the school and we aim to keep parents fully informed about any involvement the Student Support and Development department has with pupils. Form Tutors will lead discussions with pupils regarding their SEND need and attainment as they have a good knowledge and understanding of the pupil. Parents are encouraged to contact their child’s form tutor in the first instance or via the email send@risedale.org.uk if they have concerns or queries – we aim to respond to any concerns raised in an effective and supportive way.
All Year 7 pupils participate in an extended transition package during July. Some pupils with particular needs however start their transition even earlier in The HUB with weekly visits to the school after school and then during the school day to become acclimatised to the new environment.
Parents are invited to regular reviews held at mutually convenient times to discuss progress and interventions taking place. Careful liaison between us and other schools in sharing SEND information is very important to us to ensure the best possible provision for all and prevent any loss of support.