SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities)
“Meeting individual needs”
Mr R. Brooks, Assistant Headteacher – SENDCo and Miss S. Bird, Deputy SENDCo oversee the whole provision of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities across the school.
In addition to this, we have 12 teaching assistants, some of whom have additional responsibilities for specific groups such as students with ADHD, ASC and the administration of literacy programmes.
To contact the SEND Department, please use the email address below, and your query will be directed to either Mr Brooks or Miss Bird.
Liaison with Primary Schools and Parents Prior to Admission
This begins in the April, prior to September intake. Primary schools are asked to inform us of students who are transferring to Blenheim who are on their Special Educational Needs Register and the level of support they feel is required.
Staff from Blenheim visit feeder primary schools to discuss pupils' needs to ensure a smooth transition.
On Joining Blenheim
Upon entry to the school at any time, students are tested with an array of assessments to ensure that all students’ needs are identified and appropriate provision is in place. This allows students whose needs may not have been highlighted during the transition phase (if a Year 7 student). If students are identified at this stage parents are invited to meet with the Literacy and Language teacher to learn about the provision offered at Blenheim.
Special Needs provision at Blenheim is reflective of the Code of Practice for Special Educational Needs 2014 and therefore based on the principle that all students should have access to a full and balanced curriculum. To this end much of the support within school is facilitated through the principles of inclusive teaching and the deployment of teaching assistants to curriculum areas.
Support Provision Within School
For some students additional support is necessary to ensure that they make adequate progress and supported appropriately. The types of support programmes that are available are:
- Literacy focused lessons.
- Targeted literacy intervention programme
- Transition/Nurture groups for Year 7 students
- Access to a key worker if needed
- Assessment for Access Arrangements for all formal tests and external exams
- Individual mentoring for learning support
- Access to specialised provision via outside agencies
- Access to specialised provision in school such as social skills sessions or a tailored curriculum at Key Stage 4
- Social skills programme for Key Stage 3 students
- Lexia (computer literacy program)
- Speech & Language support for identified students
- Kidzone lunch-time group
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Policy
School Partnership Information
The school has a Special Educational Needs Register that is updated regularly and is available to all teaching and support staff. Teaching staff also have access to assessment data and strategies to implement for students with Special Educational Needs. The placement of children on the register is based on assessment data and liaison with teaching staff. Parents are informed when students are placed on the register and are notified when, following re-assessment, students have been discharged.
Individual targets for students on the SEND register will be set within the curriculum and by specialist teachers in identified intervention. This will be based on their individual need. In addition, Literacy Progress Report postcards will be sent.
The SEND Department also works very closely with an array of outside agencies in order to access extra, more specialist support. Please see the local support services link below that may be helpful if you have concerns.
A final word…
We are here for our students and their parents. If you feel any time you would like to discuss your child’s progress at school or if you have any worries or concerns about your child coping academically and/or socially, please contact the SEND Department.
Local Support Sevices
Local Support Services for Parents
| Surrey County Council |
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http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/special-educational-needs-and-disability-send |
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Partnership with Parents
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Noke Drive Redhill Surrey RH1 4AX |
Telephone |
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Educational Psychology Service
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Elmbridge Civic Centre High Street Esher Surrey KT10 9SD |
Telephone
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ASD Support Group/ Publications |
The National Autistic Society
Surrey News InterAktive (formerly GASP)
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Telephone 0808 800 4104 Telephone 07876 762178 |
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Surrey SEND Information, Advice and Support Service (SSIASS |
Third Floor Consort House 5-7 Queensway Redhill Surrey RH1 1BY |
Telephone
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In addition, the school has links with other agencies which can be accessed via the school. These include:
- Learning & Language Support
- Physical & Sensory Support
- Hearing Impaired Service
- Visually Impaired Service
Quality First Provision-SEND '14
Blenheim High School - Frequently Asked Questions with response:
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Questions |
School Response |
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1 |
How does the school know if young people need extra help and what should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs? |
We have rigorous monitoring in place that tracks the progress our learners make in all areas of the curriculum. Our staff are vigilant at supporting and raising any concerns. We use data and other forms of assessment to identify additional needs and celebrate achievement. Baseline testing at Blenheim High School includes skills screening (MIDYiS), literacy assessments and analysis of KS2 data. We also track students’ progress through the reporting system to parents, for students in all years at least 3 times a year. Parents/carers are encouraged to speak to the form tutor about any concerns they have. We have in-house specialist expertise in a number of areas of special educational needs and this is recorded on our provision map.
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2 |
How will the school staff support my child? |
Our Governors play an active role in monitoring the quality of our special educational needs provision as does the Headteacher, senior Leadership Team and Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo). All interventions (literacy/pastoral support as necessary for identified students) we put in place are research informed and evidence based and are measured to monitor impact and attendance against expected rate of progress (provision mapping). Where we feel something isn’t working, we are quick to respond and find alternatives through dialogue with the learner and their families. All our additional support programmes are overseen by the SENCo/Pastoral and all our teachers are teachers of inclusion and special educational needs.
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3 |
How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs? |
Whole school: We expect all our teachers to differentiate to meet the needs of all learners. We have a tailored personalised curriculum (setting in Maths – i.e. not English subjects) coupled with regular parents’ evenings to help us to monitor this and reflect on the next best steps. All our teachers are clear on the expectations of wave 1 provision and this is monitored regularly by the leadership team. All staff have class checklist ‘Whole School – Wave 1 Provision Plan’. |
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4 |
How will both you and I know how my child is doing and how will you help me to support my child’s learning? |
We regularly share progress feedback with all our learners and their families. In addition, we have a number of opportunities where parents/carers can meet with staff to discuss learner progress. At such meetings (and through other means) we clearly share what can be done by families at home to support the learning at school. This is also reinforced by generic updates on the curriculum which we share though our newsletter and/or website. We host a number of curriculum evenings/learning events to help families understand what learning is expected and how they can best support their child’s need (through planner and other means). Should more regular contact be required, our staff will make suitable arrangements to ensure this is put in place. We believe in supporting the development of parenting skills and as such deliver workshops on site/work in collaboration with other agencies. (Parental workshops of students with SEND; Year 7 parents sharing information evening, etc.) |
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5 |
What support will there be for my child’s overall well-being? |
All our staff are regularly trained to provide a high standard of pastoral support. Relevant staff are trained to support medical needs (including intimate care) and in some cases all staff receive training. We have a medical policy in place which is reviewed regularly. Our Behaviour Policy (use of Assertive Discipline); which includes guidance on expectations, rewards and sanctions is fully understood and in place by all staff. We regularly monitor attendance and take the necessary actions to prevent prolonged unauthorised absence. Learner voice is central to our ethos and this is encouraged in a variety of ways and regularly exhibited through a plethora of types of meeting e.g. (Pastoral Support Programmes). The school also employs a Wellbeing Manager for students and families, providing support to students and their families who may be experiencing social or emotional difficulties that are impacting on their learning, wellbeing or safety. |
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6 |
What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school? |
Our staff receives regular training and our teachers all hold qualified teacher status. We have a number of established relationships with professionals in health and social care. All external partners we work with are vetted in terms of safe guarding. Many of our staff are trained to work in specialist areas of special educational needs. We encourage staff to continually update their skills and knowledge. |
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7 |
What training are the staff supporting children and young people with SEND had or are having? |
Our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) is a qualified teacher. We regularly invest time and money in training our staff to improve wave 1 provision delivery and develop enhanced skills and knowledge delivery of wave 2 and 3 interventions. At most staff briefings, our staff are updated on matters pertaining to special educational needs and disability. In addition, all Enhanced Learning Centre staff are encouraged to pursue both internal and external training courses pertaining to their role and school improvement plan. |
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8 |
How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom including school trips? |
Our school ethos promotes involvement of all our learners in all aspects of the curriculum including activities outside the classroom. Where there are concerns of safety and access, further thought and consideration is put in place (risk assessment undertaken) to ensure needs are met; where applicable parents/carers are consulted and involved in planning. All students with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities are warmly invited to attend after school activities throughout the school. |
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9 |
How accessible is the school environment? |
We have a full Accessibility Plan in place and as such we consider our environment to be fully accessible. We are vigilant about making reasonable adjustments; where possible. Our policy and practice adheres and embraces The Equality Act 2010. Where possible, we also ensure any home-setting communications are available in the relevant languages and when required translators are asked to attend meetings (including BSI for Hearing Impaired parents/students). |
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10 |
How will the school prepare and support my child in their transition to the next stage of education and life? |
We have a robust Induction programme in place for welcoming new learners to our setting. Our Provision Management systems records what aspects of our environment help children and young people learn and this information is passed on in transition. We have very good relationships with any feeder settings as well as future settings/the workplace. |
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11 |
How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children and young people’s special educational needs? |
Our finances are monitored regularly and we utilise resources to support the strategic aims of our setting as well as individual learner needs. We seek to ensure value for money service, so all interventions are evaluated. Our budget is allocated according to our level of need.
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12 |
How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child will receive?
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Quality First Inclusive Provision (wave 1) is clearly defined in our setting and we expect all staff to deliver this. Should additional support be required, this is undertaken after consultation with the relevant staff, the learner and their families. All interventions are monitored for impact and outcomes are defined at the start of any intervention. The SENCo oversees all additional support and regularly shares updates with the governor with oversight of SEND. |
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13 |
How are parents involved in the school? How can I be involved? |
We strongly believe in partnering parents in a two-way dialogue to support a young person’s learning, needs and aspirations. We take every opportunity to strengthen this dialogue. Parents are invited to contribute through a number of means. Our Governing Body includes Parent Governors/representatives. |
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14 |
Who can I contact for further information? |
In the first instance, parents/carers are encouraged to talk to their child’s class teacher/tutor. Further information and support can be obtained from the school’s SENCo/Deputy SENCo or Pastoral Team. |
The Quality First Provision - Curriculum Provision
This is based upon level of need.
Wave 1 is provisional for all students;
Wave 2 is for those with additional need and
Wave 3 is cumulative support of each of the wave provision. (see below)
The Wave Chart
