SENd Information Report 2020-21

The Hathershaw College is a fully inclusive academy trust where all pupils are valued equally. We are committed to our ethos that ‘together we succeed’. All students are entitled to have access to a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum, which is differentiated to meet individual needs. At the Hathershaw College we are committed to equal opportunities, and all students regardless of ability, are encouraged to achieve their full potential.

Students of all ages and all abilities will:

Have access to a broad and balanced curriculum that maximises the life chances of all
Be assessed for any special educational need to ensure accurate and rapid identification
Be encouraged to learn through a range of enjoyable and stimulating experiences in an atmosphere where students feel valued, encouraged and safe.
Learn to develop independent learning skills so that they will be equipped to deal with life after school.
Be encouraged to see education as a life-long process.

This SENd Information Report outlines information for parents/carers regarding the ways in which we provide support for all students with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SENd).

Key:

ADD - Attention Deficit Disorder

ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder

ASD - Autistic Spectrum Disorder

EAL - English as Additional Language

EH - Early Help Assessment

EHCP - Education, Health & Care Plan

HI - Hearing Impaired

HYM - Healthy Young Minds (formerly CAMHS)

LSA - Learning Support Assistant

LA - Local Authority

MLD - Moderate Learning Difficulties

PD - Physical Difficulties

PMLD - Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties

QEST - Quality and Effectiveness Support Team

SENCo - Special Educational Needs Coordinator

SLCN - Speech, Language and Communication Needs

SLD - Severe Learning Difficulties

SpLD - Specific Learning Difficulties e.g. Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Dyscalculia

VI - Visually impaired

VLE - Virtual Learning Environment

What kinds of SENd do pupils have at The Hathershaw College?

Children are identified as having SENd when they have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children the same age or have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of education facilities.

Students at The Hathershaw College have a range of difficulties, that can be grouped into 4 main areas, according to the SENd Code of Practice 2014:

1. Communication and Interaction - Including: Speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) and Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

2. Cognition and Learning - Including: Moderate Learning Difficulties (MLD), Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD), Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD) and Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) such as dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia.

3. Social, Emotional and Mental Health difficulties - Including: students suffering from anxiety or depression, self-harming, substance misuse, eating disorders or physical symptoms that are medically unexplained. Other children may have disorders such as attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) or attachment disorder.

4. Sensory or Physical difficulties - Including: Visually impaired (VI), Hearing Impaired (HI) and Physical Difficulties (PD).

The Hathershaw College is the only school in the Oldham Local Authority with a specialist Hearing Resource Centre and so we are fully equipped to support students with all levels of hearing loss including those that are profoundly deaf. Many teaching and SEN support staff are also qualified in sign language from level 1 upwards.

How do you know if a pupil has special educational needs?

Before your child joins The Hathershaw College, we implement a thorough programme of transition with our Y6 feeder primary schools. Our SENCo/Assistant SENCo and Y7 Year Manager visit primary schools to discuss ALL SENd students and complete learning profiles for these students during their visits. We use information from a range of sources to help both identify SENd and to ensure accuracy of learning need. Information used includes that from parents/carers, primary school teachers/SENCo’s, teacher assessment levels from year 6 and other assessments of need.

Our class teachers, Curriculum Leaders and Year Managers closely monitor the academic progress and social development of all students including those with no SENd. This regular monitoring ensures that further identification of pupils with a special educational need can be made.

At The Hathershaw College, we follow a graduated approach to identifying and assessing needs.

Assess:

A variety of data is used to assess the needs of our students including:

Teacher/subject assessments
KS2 SATS results
Reading Age assessments
Learning Cycle progress data – including effort and behaviour grades
Attendance/punctuality data
SENd assessment; literacy, working memory etc.
External assessments/advice
Feedback from teachers, students and parents/carers regarding the social/emotional development of students

Plan:

Plans are then put in place in order to offer students appropriate additional intervention. All staff, students and parents are to decide on an intervention strategy to use and agree the expected impact. A timescale for this support/intervention is agreed.

Do:

Teachers/LSA’s (Learning Support Assistant) and/or intervention managers implement additional support/intervention and are responsible for working with the student on a daily basis.

Review:

Progress is reviewed at the agreed date and support is revised by the SENCo in liaison with the subject teacher Learning Support Assistant/Intervention Manager where appropriate.

All students with SENd are on our SENd register which is accessible to all staff. Staff use this information to inform their lesson planning, seating plans etc.

Where there are concerns about a student that is not on the SENd register, staff complete a ‘Needs profile’ outlining their concerns and the students main barriers to learning. This then begins a process of assessment including student observations in lesson(s) and/or initial SENd screening/assessment. If a student is then identified as having a special educational need, families will be notified, a student will be involved with developing their own personalised Learning Profile, and all staff will be issued with strategies to use to support your child. Where a family needs support, we have strong links with a variety of external support agencies.

How is the decision made about how much/what support my child will receive?

Students with an EHCP are entitled to more hours of LSA support than SENd Support students.

Hours are typically allocated to an EHCP student in line with their EHCP document; produced collaboratively with The Hathershaw College, LA and parents/carers. Where it is felt than an EHCP student requires more hours of support, The Hathershaw College may apply to the LA for an increase in the hours of funding for that child.

Where it is felt that an SENd Support student requires further LSA support, The Hathershaw College may apply for an EHCP (Education, Health & Care Plan) for that child, which would entitle them to additional LA funding and therefore additional support.

How will my child be involved in his/her own learning and decisions made about his/her education?

Each year all SENd students are involved in a discussion about the curriculum and the areas that they have strengths and weaknesses. We discuss how your child learns, how they can support themselves in lessons and how the teachers can support them to learn and all of this information is used to update their learning profile for staff to access.

For EHCP reviews, we will complete pupil centred reviews giving your child a voice in the decisions made regarding their education.

How will I know that my child is making progress?

All students, including those with SENd, are assessed on a regular basis throughout the year. Reports are produced twice per year for Y7-Y10 and three times per year for Y11. The report includes progress data for each subject and effort, behaviour and homework. Additionally, parents’ evenings are held once a year for each year group, and at these evenings there is an opportunity to discuss progress, attainment and next steps with your child's teachers. Appointments are also available with the SENCo at all Parents' Evenings.

All students with anEducation, Health & Care Plan have an Annual Review once per year. SENd Support students will have their individual Learning Profiles updated three times per year based on their progress.

SENd work analysis takes place throughout the year and is completed across a range of subject areas by the SENCo. This provides a clearer understanding of the progress of SENd students across the curriculum and allows teachers to share good practice.

How do you evaluate provision?

The Hathershaw College assesses the effectiveness of Teaching and Learning for all students, including those with SENd and the outcomes of these evaluations are used to inform our College Improvement Plan. Individual intervention sessions are reviewed after an agreed number of weeks to ensure they are having a positive impact. Our provision is also evaluated by our team of Governors, including a SENd specialist governor. We also evaluate our provision through Faculty Reviews that take place in all subject areas once per year. The impact of our overall SENd provision is evaluated based on our outcomes at the end of each year (including GCSE grades/progress data, attendance/exclusion data etc.)

The Hathershaw College is also inspected by Ofsted who issue a grade for Leadership and Management, Behaviour and Safety, Quality of teaching and Achievement of pupils.

How do staff help pupils with SENd?

Our teachers have high expectations of all students, including those with SENd. All teachers receive a learning profile stating your child’s needs and will adapt their lessons to meet these requirements. All SENd students are provided with differentiated resources that are additional to/different from non-SENd students.

We have a Learning Support department which is made up of the SENCo, Assistant SENCo, 7 full time LSA’s and 3 part-time LSA’s who work accross the curriculum. We also have a team of 10 communicators and 2 Teachers of the Deaf for our HI students.

An experienced pastoral team also supports our SENd provision, with 5 year managers, 1 student services manager and 2 attendance support officers ensuring students are attending lessons, are punctual and display positive behaviour. All students are allocated a form tutor with the most vulnerable students issued a mentor/key worker for each morning. Some SEN pupils may be placed in a form class for particularly vulnerable pupils or may have the SENCo.

A School Counsellor visits the school each week providing support for vulnerable learners and we have a permanent Child Protection Officer based in school. We have excellent relationships with a number of external agencies such as HYM (Healthy Young Minds), Positive Steps & Tameside, Oldham and Glossop Mind.

We give exam access arrangements for pupils starting in Year 7, where appropriate. When your child is approaching the start of Key Stage 4, we will formally assess them for Access Arrangements for their examinations. Students may then receive extra time, a reader/scribe, or a prompt/another appropriate arrangement, depending on their level of need.

How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?

Most of our students follow a traditional curriculum, however a small number of learners have a more personalised curriculum to match their individual needs, interests and abilities and according to provision detailed in their Education, Health and Care Plan. Our most complex SENd learners are supported with reading through the ‘Fresh Start’ or Lexia schemes and a reading inference scheme. SENd pupils with Speech, Language and Communication needs may also have Vocabulary Intervention, where appropriate. The intervention teaches specific vocabualry which is essential for understanding everyday language in the classroom, for reading, understanding and inferring meaning from texts studied in school. We offer a full programme of extra-curricular provision also which is available, alongside our curriculum model, to view on our website.

How accessible is the school environment?

Our school is a safe and accessible building and we do our best to make it welcoming to the whole community. All safeguarding procedures and risk assessments are in place and adhered to by all staff. We have a range of different facilities to help SENd students throughout our school including a number of lifts/ramps to access all areas, disabled toilets, and equipment to help with reading and writing. Hearing Impaired students use radio aids in mainstream classes to combat background noise and to direct their attention to the teacher’s voice.

How are the school’s resources allocated and matched to children’s special educational needs?

Resources are allocated based on evidence of need. Students with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) have resources allocated as outlined in their statement or EHCP, including the hours of entitlement. LSAs are allocated, where resources allow, to support these students in lessons. Communicators and Teachers of the Deaf, are allocated by our Hearing Resource Centre Manager to support our HI learners. Teaching staff liaise closely with the LSAs to ensure maximum effectiveness in the classroom. The LSAs have a huge range of skills to offer in supporting students directly and indirectly, assisting staff and helping parents/carers.

Other resources to support learning include state-of-the-art ICT facilities and a new VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) for students to access class/homework from home.

What social activities, (before and after school), and other activities are available for pupils with SENd?

There are a range of interventions and additional subject support which are available for SEN students. Support is provided each day in lunchtime clubs and during after school/enrichment sessions in all curriculum areas.

How can my child and I find out about these activities?

At the Hathershaw College we provide enrichment opportunities for SENd students at local colleges and work places. The Extra-Curricular timetable is available on the school’s website, is discussed in the student bulletin each week in form. The school provides information for parents through newsletters, the school website, Twitter, our mobile phone App, Open/ Information evenings, Parents Evenings and letters home.

How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom, including school trips?

The Hathershaw College is inclusive in its approach to all enrichment activities and trips and these are available to all students in the school. All SENd students are targeted for provision by LSA’s and consent letters are sent to parents/carers where required.

What training have the staff supporting children and young people with SENd had or are having?

A thorough programme of CPD is in place for our team of highly qualified Learning Support Assistants. They undergo regular formal training and are included in all relevant parts of the staff training programme. Most recently they engaged in training around Autism Awareness and supporting students in examinations. The Learning Support Assistants are trained to deliver Fresh Start Phonics and also trained to carry out an initial Speech and Language screen using the Communication Trust’s Progression Tools.

What happens if my child needs specialist equipment or other facilities?

As a school we can access to a range of specialist equipment should your child require them to support their learning. Classrooms are equipped with soundfield systems for our HI students and software is available for students with visual impairments and for those with speech and language needs, such as Read-Write gold.

We provide equipment according to need and we have a flexible and open approach to giving pupils the equipment they need to succeed.

How will I be involved in discussions about/planning for my child’s education?

We need you to support us and your child by encouraging your child to fully engage with their learning and any interventions offered by:

Helping them to be organised for their day (including bringing the right equipment and books)
Full attendance and good punctuality
Completion of homework
Attending parents evenings/Options evenings/Annual review meetings and other pastoral meetings
Supporting your child completing college applications by discussing relevant courses
Attending any meetings specifically arranged for your child

Who can I contact if I have a complaint?

Our complaints procedure is available on the school’s website. In the first instance, please contact the Principal; Mr Mark Giles.

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?

If your child needs help with a medical condition, we have a Health Care Administrator. Regular training is undertaken, often linked to the needs of a particular student.

As a school we can access a range of services including an in-school counsellor, HYM's, advice and support from on-site Teachers of the Deaf, Positive Steps counselling, counselling by MIND, the School Nurse Service, private Educational Psychology Service, NHS Secondary Speech & Language Service, private speech and language therapy service, careers advisor, Education prevention team and the LA’s (Local Authority) Quality and Effectiveness Support team (QEST).

These services are contacted when necessary and appropriate, according to your child’s needs. The school works closely with each of these agencies and uses the Early Help service in the LA when appropriate to do so. School can also refer families to Family in MIND service.

How will the school prepare and support my child when transferring to post-16 provision?

All students receive advice on careers and are encouraged to visit colleges to explore post-16 courses. We have a careers advisor 3 days per week to provide advice to students. College applications are completed during Ciizenship lessons and quality assured by the Senior Leadership Team. All high-level SENd students are interviewed by the SENCo to ensure their options choices are appropriateness for their ability/interests. HI students have additional careers support, early visits to college and transport training if required.

For EHCP students, all information is passed on the post-16 provider on transition and conversations take place between the SENCo and pastoral managers at the colleges.

Who should I contact if I want to find out more about the support my child is getting or if I am concerned that my child may have SENd?

Please contact our SENCo: Karen Smedley.

Contact details are:

Email: ks@hathershaw.org.uk

Phone: 0161 770 8555

Who should I contact to find out about support for parents and families of children with SENd?

Oldham Council’s Local Offer for children with SENd is available online: Oldham Council Local Offer
Oldham SENDIASS, operated by POINT offers support for parents/carers: Oldham Parent Partnership
An Early Help Assessment is a meeting of ALL of the services involved with supporting your child. This can be arranged by parents/carers, the SENCo/Child Protection Officer , Counselling service etc. and can also be held in emergency situations: EHA
Families in MIND is a service available for families through TOGMIND. Families can work together along with one of MIND’s practitioners to set goals and work towards them as a family. Support can be provided for Issues such as developing communication skills, managing conflicts, building family strengths and understanding family roles. Practitioners will help you work towards your family goals through worksheets, activities, talking and games.
Healthy Young Minds, offering advice to parents/carers who believe their child may have mental health issues: HYM
Additional and Complex Needs Service (QEST) Oldham is a team of SEN specialist teachers who can offer support and advice to parents of SEN students: Oldham Services
Positive Steps Oldham, is a counselling service for young people living in the Oldham area: Positive Steps.org.uk

Key Staff – SENd

SENCo: Mrs Karen Smedley
Assistant SENCo: Mr James Morton
Teachers of the Deaf: Mrs Christine Burnett and Mrs Lisa McWhirter
School Governor with responsibility for SENd: Mr Anthony Jones

Key staff – Pastoral

Year 7 manager – Andrea Oliver
Year 8 manager – Anjum Raza
Year 9 manager – Phil Edgehill
Year 10 manager – Janet Webb
Year 11 manager – Sharon Blundell
Student Services Manager - Martina Hutton
Attendance Support Officer – Julie-Ann Sager
Attendance Support Officer - Paddy Harwood

Relevant school policies underpinning this SEN Information Report include:

SEN policy
Behaviour policy
Child Protection policy
School attendance policy
Admissions policy
Accessibility policy

Legislative Acts taken into account when compiling this report include:

Children & Families Act 2014
SEN Code of Practice 2014
Equality Act 2010
Mental Capacity Act 2005

The information required to be included in this SENd Information Report is stated in The Special Educational Needs and Disability Regulations 2014 SCHEDULE 1: Information to be included in the SENd information report. This can be found at: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/1530/schedule/1/made

Download's

SENd Information Report 2020-21