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SEN/D Information Report

SEN Information Report for Hanley Castle High School

1. Supporting pupils with different levels of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Hanley Castle High School is committed to providing an appropriate and high-quality education to all its students. We believe that all children and young people, including those identified as having special educational needs and or a disability, have a common entitlement to a broad and balanced academic and social curriculum, which is as accessible as possible. Our hope is for all pupils to be fully included in all aspects of school life. This is achieved through our graduated approach to support, which is dependent upon a pupil’s level of identified need:

SEN waves

All pupils are supported by all teachers in their lessons through Quality First Teaching (Wave 1). We share an overview of key information about pupils with teachers in an Individual Provision Map (IPM). We foster inclusive classrooms through our expert teaching provision throughout the school, enabling all to achieve.

Some pupils also access additional small group support throughout the year, depending on level and type of need (Wave 2). Invitation to participate in these groups is based upon our knowledge of pupils and their needs. Groups can be short- and longer-term and will have specific aims and outcomes. Small groups are taken by our highly skilled Learning Support Assistant team.

A small minority of pupils will have an Education Health and Care Plan, known as an EHCP (Wave 3). Pupils who have an EHCP may also have bespoke 1:1 provision at points throughout the day, to fulfil the statutory provision identified in their EHCP. 1:1 provision is provided by members of our well-trained Aspire team.

If you are unsure about your child’s level of needs, do contact the Aspire team to discuss any queries.

2. Catering for different kinds of Special Educational Need or Disabilities

Hanley Castle High School recognises the SEND Code of Practice (2015) which categorise four broad areas of need. Below are the four areas of needs and some example supports that can be used to enable all pupils to feel part of our school and to make progress.

Communication and interaction:

Pupils with this area of need may experience difficulties with speaking or communicating fluently, and/or with confidence. To support this area of need, we may provide:

Speech and Language groups
Social Communication groups
Reasonable adjustments to access the curriculum, including access arrangements
Tailored curriculum pathways

Social, emotional and mental health:

Pupils with this area of need may experience higher levels of anxiety and stress, which can affect their concentration, focus, and behaviour, particularly in unstructured times, such as breaks and lunches. To support this area of need, we may provide:

School counselling provision
Emotional Support strategies and groups
Break time and lunchtime clubs
Reasonable adjustments to access the curriculum, including access arrangements
Tailored curriculum pathways

Cognition and Learning:

Pupils with this area of need may experience barriers to learning, such as reading, spelling and/or numeracy difficulties. To support this area of need, we may provide:

Homework support club
Literacy and numeracy groups
Reasonable adjustments to access the curriculum, including access arrangements
Tailored curriculum pathways

Physical/Sensory/Medical needs:

Pupils with this area of need may experience difficulties with movement and co-ordination; sensory impairment or registration. Pupils may also experience chronic and acute health illnesses. To support this area of need, we may provide:

Regular individual check-ins, dependent on level of need, including with the school nursing team
Specialist Teacher visits (e.g. Teacher of the Deaf, Qualified Teacher of the Visual Impaired)
A Changing Places bathroom area
Reasonable adjustments to access the curriculum, including access arrangements
Tailored curriculum pathways

With all areas of need, where the level of need exceeds our in-school level of expertise, Hanley Castle High School can access specialist external advice, guidance and assessment. If you would like to discuss this with a member of the Aspire team, please get in touch.

3. SENCO

The Aspire team is led by Mrs Hannah Clarke (Assistant Headteacher - SENCO), Mrs Natalie Stimpson (Deputy SENCO), Claire Dobson (Lead LSA), Kathryn Wilkins (LSA & EHCP Co-Ordinator) and Clare Lawrence (SEND Administrator). In addition, the Aspire team include our wonderful and very skilled Learning Support Assistants.

If you need to contact the Aspire (SEND) team to find out about support for your child/young person, please do get in touch. We can be contacted on:
01684 593241 or aspire@hanleycastlehs.org.uk

4. External specialist professionals

These external specialist professionals can be consulted as part of our graduated approach to SEND:

Educational psychology
Speech language and communication team
Complex Communication Difficulties/Autism Team
Learning support Team
School nursing services
School counselling service
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
Regency Outreach Team including PD, HI and VI Teams
Teacher of the Deaf - TOD (Hearing Impairment Team)
Qualified Teacher for Visually Impaired pupils – QTVI (Visual Impairment Team)
Occupational Therapy

5. Assessing pupils, identifying need and recognising progress

Progress of all students is tracked using the school’s assessment and tracking systems. Students are assessed and supported regularly using a combination of the following:

Class teachers:

formative teacher assessment which includes helpful feedback to support pupil progress
summative assessments which enables teachers to measure and monitor progress against curriculum aims

The Aspire Team:

pupil observation
screening assessments in Years Seven and Nine (and all new starters to the school)
Key Stage 2-3 SENCO transition meetings

The Pastoral Team: (Deputy Headteacher, DSL, Assistant Headteacher – pastoral, Heads of Years)

pupil observation and support
report cards to provide structured support and opportunities to celebrate progress
Key Stage 2-3 transition meetings

Senior Leadership Team:

year group data analysis to monitor whole school provision and impact
targeted whole school training and staff development to improve quality of teaching and learning for all

For pupils with elevated support needs, we will also use the Assess, Plan, Do, Review model which incorporates the graduated approach. Further external specialist assessments can also be used to assess need and consider areas for support.

Students with an EHCP will have their progress assessed and monitored formally via an annual review.

6. Admissions and Transitions

Admission arrangements:

Children with additional educational needs are considered for admission to the school on exactly the same basis as for children without additional needs.
Those children with an Education, Health and Care Plan which names Hanley Castle High School will automatically secure a place in the school.
Prior to starting school, the parents/carers of children with an education, health and care plan or a plan pending will be invited to discuss the provision that can be made to meet the child’s identified needs.

Transition arrangements:

Year 6:

During the spring and summer term, prior to admission in year 7, all HUET primary schools are visited by the Aspire team and all necessary information is transferred to allow for continuity
A member of the Aspire team will always try to attend year 6 EHCP annual reviews
Transition booklets are shared with primary feeder schools

Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4 Transition:

All students are supported between KS3 and KS4 through a well-planned options process
Guidance meetings are also available to all students.
Access to specialist careers advice for those at Wave 3 to support them with future transitions
Where necessary, multi-agency collaboration may also take place to support students as they enter into adulthood.

Leaving HCHS:

When the time comes to move on from Hanley Castle High School, the Aspire team will also support onward transition.

Leaving Hanley mid-year or mid-key stage:

Pupils at Wave 3 may need a person-centred meeting with key adults from both schools to discuss transition
Where requested, we will transfer files to a relevant provider

Leaving Hanley at the end of Key Stage Four (Year Eleven) or Five (Year Thirteen):

Where requested, SEND information is shared with the relevant educational institutions. This can be through transfer of hard files and/or direct communication with the relevant personnel at the new education provider
Any access arrangements paperwork (e.g. evidencing the need for extra time in examinations) will be sent home to the pupil’s main registered address in early September of the following academic year, after the end of placement.
For pupils at Wave 3, a person-centred meeting may also take place with key individuals invited.

7. Parental and Student voice

Hanley Castle High School recognises the valuable contributions that parents and carers make towards their child’s education. Parents and carers are invited to provide their views as part of the annual review process but contributions at any time of the year are welcome. Furthermore, student voice is also recognised and valued; students are also invited to submit their views as part of the annual review process. Hanley Castle High School also collects and collates student voice at timely intervals throughout the year via the school questionnaire and through the whole year group screening processes in Years Seven and Nine. These views help the school to adapt and improve, where necessary.

8. Evaluating SEND provision

Data comparing the progress and attainment of pupils with identified SEND with other students in the school and with those in similar schools is analysed annually. This helps us to reflect on our areas of strength and for development and is incorporated into Aspire@Hanley’s self-evaluation document.

Data measuring the impact of all intervention programmes is also analysed at the end of each intervention. This data is then shared with parents and is accessible to all staff.

All analyses are used to plan future provision and to formulate the Aspire department development plan.

Termly, the SENCO will provide information to the governing body as to the numbers of students receiving special educational needs provision. The Headteacher will also report on any whole school developments in relation to inclusion and will ensure that governors are kept up to date with any legislative or local policy changes.

SEN and Inclusion will be regular items at full governing body meetings.

The SENCO will meet with the SEN Governor to discuss inclusion and current SEN concerns. The SEN Governor will lead governor monitoring of the SEN and Inclusion policy through sampling, observations and other procedures to be agreed annually.

The SEN and Inclusion policy will be reviewed annually by the Headteacher, the SENCO, Governor with responsibility for SEN, representatives of the teaching and support staff and Aspire’s Parent Voice.

The school’s evaluation and monitoring arrangements provide an active process of continual review and improvement of provision for all pupils.

9. Handling complaints

If a parent or carer wishes to complain about the provision or the policy, they should, in the first instance, raise it with the SENCO, who will try to resolve the situation.
If the issue cannot be resolved within 10 working days the parent can submit a formal complaint to the Headteacher in writing or other accessible format. The Headteacher will respond within 10 working days.
Any issues that remain unresolved at this stage will be managed according to the school’s Complaints Policy. This is available through the Parent Portal accessible via the school website or by requesting a copy from the school office.

10. The Local Offer

The Local Offer is a resource to support parents and carers across Worcestershire. The Local Offer provides information about provision families can expect to be available across education, health and social care for children and young people who have a Special Educational Need or Disability, for those with and without an EHCP. The Worcestershire Local Offer can be found here.

11. Useful contacts:

For parental support and additional information, the following agencies may be of use:

Worcestershire SENDIAS offers a free confidential and impartial service for children and young people with Special Educational Needs & Disability (SEND) and their parents and carers.

Telephone: 01905 768153

Email: sendiass@worcestershire.gov.uk
Website: https://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/info/20417/special_educational_needs_and_disa%20bilities_information_advice_and_support_service

Kids Independent support:
Independent supporters are trained to help families and young people through the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) assessment process.
Telephone: 01384 423868
Website: https://www.kids.org.uk/sendiass