SEND
At WPT, we believe that all children and young people are entitled to an education that enables them to make progress in order to develop their social, cognitive, cultural, emotional and physical skills to achieve their best and become confident individuals in an ever-changing society. Our staff have high expectations of all students, providing appropriate learning and teaching experiences within a positive pastoral framework. We aim to support students by nurturing an ethos of high aspirations, confidence and fostering in them the desire to achieve.
All colleagues at WPT are committed to identifying and addressing the needs of students with Special Educational Needs / Disabilities. From the support staff delivering daily interventions, teachers planning and delivering a focused individualised curriculum to Middle Leaders monitoring and evaluating all the way to the SENDCo and Headteacher having the strategic responsibility to ensure the impact is met for these children. Throughout their learning journey, we will ensure that every child with Special Educational Need(s) and / or disability receives the most appropriate package of support to meet their needs.
As a Trust we aim to:
- Ensure that all students have access to a broad and balanced curriculum appropriate to the individual’s needs and ability
- Ensure the identification of all students requiring SEND provision as early as possible in their school career
- Ensure that SEND students take as full a part as possible in all school activities
- Ensure that parents of SEND students are kept fully informed of their child’s progress and attainment
- Ensure that SEND students are involved, where practicable, in decisions affecting their future SEND provision
- Ensure all SEND children make progress and achieve their full potential
Teaching Sequence
The WPT Teaching Sequence structures our units of learning and supports the reduction of cognitive load through prior learning activation activities and the chunking of learning into small steps. Pre-assessment stages and checking of understanding activities allow our staff to identify misconceptions and gaps in learning which may lead to further support or interventions. The Big Connection allows teachers to make links in learning for students so they can stitch their knowledge together in memorable ways.
Entitlement and Enrichment
Our students access our entitlement and enrichment promise wherever possible. This includes extra-curricular clubs – both in and after school. Each school has a variety of extra-curricular clubs that are available for every child to access regardless of need. Activities and trips are made as inclusive as possible and available to all children including our physical activity programme which includes our outdoor adventurous activities.
Risk assessments are carried out prior to a trip and reasonable adjustments will be made where necessary to ensure all children can access the enrichment opportunities fully. Where necessary, individual risk assessments are carried out and procedures put in place to enable all children to participate. This may require 1:1 support from a teacher or teaching assistant.
Early Identification
Our system for early identification of SEND means that we begin by gathering evidence in the form of observations, which we record on an ‘Initial Concern’ form. We discuss our concerns with parents, then if they are in agreement, we place the children on our Inclusion register and then on a provision map. We set short-term targets and put in place resources and support to enable them to progress, taking into account how the child learns best. We track the impact of these interventions on the provision map half termly and update the targets every 4-6 weeks.
If we feel that further support is required, we speak to parents, and we may refer to the Specialist Inclusion Team (SiT) which includes Autism Communication Team (ACT), Educational Mental Health Support Team (EMHST). We arrange for parents to meet with the professional involved as required and then implement the recommendations of any report promptly.
Roles and Responsibilities of the SEND Team
Class Teacher
Class teachers are responsible for ensuring that all children have access to Quality First Teaching and that the curriculum is adapted to meet a child’s individual needs (also known as differentiation). They will check on the progress of the child and identify, plan and deliver any additional help the child may need (this could be things like targeted work, additional support, adapting resources etc.)
They will discuss amendments with and seek advice from the SENDCO as necessary, ensuring they document any amendments made. Class teachers are also responsible for ensuring that all members of staff working with the child in school are aware of the child’s individual needs and/or conditions and what specific adjustments need to be made to enable them to be included and make progress. They will ensure that all staff working with the child in school are supported in delivering the planned work/programme for the child, so they can achieve the best possible progress.
Teaching Assistants
Sometimes children will need someone for curriculum support in lessons. The team of support assistants will work with the teacher to help the children learn new things, practice skills and make progress.
They may run specific interventions in small groups or one to one support as specified on the provision map. This can be for any area of need which could link to the curriculum, pastoral or personal care support or more personalised qualities to ensure the growth of the child.
Teaching assistants may liaise with external agencies and may attend SEND reviews. They will liaise with the class teacher and record and report on a child’s progress to the class teacher and SENDCO.
SEND Coordinator
Our SENDCO’s are responsible for the operation of the Special Educational Needs Policy and coordination of specific provisions made to support individual children with SEND. They will liaise with staff to monitor the student’s progress, making sure that there are accurate records of the child’s progress and needs, and they will plan further interventions where progress is slower than expected.
The SENDCO will organise staff CPD, to provide specialist support for teachers and support staff in the school so they can help the child (and other students with SEN and / or disabilities in the school) to achieve their potential. They will organise training for staff so they are aware and confident about how to meet the needs of the child and others within our school.
The SENDCO will hold multi agency meetings to support families and children making links and creating a team behind the child; liaising with all the other people who may be coming into school to help support the child’s learning e.g. The Speech and Language Therapy Service and The Educational Psychologist. They will ensure that the parents are involved in supporting the child’s learning, involved in reviewing how they are doing and is part of planning ahead for the child.
Partnership
We recognise the need to work in partnership with parents, students and external agencies to ensure that students are supported to overcome any barriers to learning they may experience. We regularly have contact with a wide range of external agencies that are able to give more specialised advice. We work with the following agencies;
- Educational Psychology
- School Inclusion Team
- With Me in Mind
- Aspire
- Autism Communication Team
- SENDias
- Parents Forum
- Early Help
- 0-19 Service
