This policy complies with the statutory requirement laid out in the SEND Code of Practice 0 – 25 (May 2015) and has been written with reference to the following guidance and documents:
Within each Academy we have a Special Educational Needs and/or Disability Co-ordinator (SENDCo) who is in charge of the provision for the children and young people with SEND for their designated school.
Waycroft MAT believes that all children, including those identified as having special educational needs, have a common entitlement to a broad and balanced, academic and social curriculum. Both areas of the curriculum should be fully accessible to pupils so they can understand and be included in all aspects of Academy life.
We recognise that pupils learn at different rates and that there are many factors affecting achievement including: ability, confidence, emotional well-being, age and maturity. At Waycroft MAT we aim to identify these factors as they arise and provide teaching and learning which enables every child to achieve his or her full potential. At Waycroft MAT every teacher is a teacher of every child or young person including those with SEND.
This policy was written using NASEN guidelines to ensure it reflects the SEND Code of Practice, 0-25 guidance, by the SENDCOs, SLT and SEND Trustees originally. This was then shared with staff and parents of pupils with SEND. The policy was then updated taking into account any feedback from the above stakeholders. This policy is to be read in conjunction with other Waycroft MAT policies as required including: Teaching and Learning, Single Equalities including the Accessibility Plan, Intimate Care, Safeguarding/Child Protection and Assessment.
Through raising the aspirations of and expectations for all pupils with SEND, Waycroft MAT provides a focus on outcomes for children and young people and not just on hours of provision/support.
Special educational and/or Disabilities provision is matched to the child’s identified SEND. Children’s SEND are thought of in the following four broad areas of need and support:
Waycroft MAT uses a range of indicators to help identify children with special educational needs or disabilities including:
‘A child or young person has SEND if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.’
‘A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she: has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions.’
The purpose of identification is to work out what action we, at Waycroft MAT, need to take, not to fit a pupil into a category. At Waycroft MAT we identify the needs of pupils by considering the needs of the whole child which includes not just the special educational needs or disabilities of the child or young person.
There are occasions where children do NOT have SEND but factors may impact on their progress and attainment;
Where this is the case the children’s needs and appropriate support are provided through other channels.
Under the new SEND Code of Practice 0-25, identifying behaviour as a need is no longer an acceptable way of describing SEND. Any concerns relating to a child or young person’s behaviour will be considered and then described as an underlying response to another area of need.
Quality first teaching at Waycroft MAT is paramount and the class teachers work closely with subject specialist teachers to ensure a broad, balanced and highly effective curriculum.
All teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of the pupils in their class, including where pupils access support from teaching assistants or specialist staff. High quality teaching, differentiated for individual pupils, is the first step in responding to pupils who have or may have SEND. Additional intervention and support cannot compensate for a lack of good quality teaching.
The quality of teaching is monitored by SLT, Team Leaders and Subject Leaders through lesson observations, planning and work scrutinies and a vigorous appraisal procedure including a focus on those children who are at risk of underachievement. This includes reviewing and, where necessary, improving, teachers’ understanding of strategies to identify and support vulnerable pupils and their knowledge of the SEND most frequently encountered.
To make a decision about providing special educational provision, the teacher and SENDCO consider all of the information gathered from within the Academy about the pupil’s progress, alongside national data and expectations of progress. This includes high quality and accurate formative assessment, using effective tools and early assessment materials. Pupils are only identified as SEND (requiring SEND Support) if they do not make adequate progress once they have had all the intervention/adjustments and good quality personalised teaching identified in the lower part of our Graduated Response Triangle.
When this occurs and children are assessed as requiring additional support, they are placed on the SEND register and more robust interventions are planned, completed and reviewed. This is in-line with the ASSESS-PLAN-DO-REVIEW cycle as recommended in the SEND Code of Practice 0-25 2015.
For higher levels of need, Waycroft MAT draws on more specialised assessments from external agencies and professionals. Once again the ASSESS-PLAN-DO-REVIEW cycle is implemented using specialist professional advice.
Sometimes children still struggle to make progress or their needs require even more specialist support. When this is the case, Waycroft MAT requests a statutory assessment for an Education, Health and Care Plan with the relevant local authority SEND team. Before September 2014, the assessment was for a Statement of Educational Needs.
Families, carers and the child are included at every stage of this process to ensure all views are collated to secure the best possible outcomes for the child. We always take into account their aspirations and expectations for the future.
Please see each individual school’s website for the provision that is put in place as the Graduated Response.
All children with SEND are monitored using the ASSESS-PLAN-DO-REVIEW cycle throughout the academic year.
Children can be added to the SEND register and a Learning Passport and Support Plan can be written at any time if both school and family are in agreement. When this occurs mid-year an interim Learning Passport and Support Plan will be created to fill the gap between the point of identification and the next cycle.
It is the class teacher’s responsibility to evidence progress with support from the SENDCO.
The level of provision is decided through discussion between the SENDCO, class teacher, families/carers, SLT and children, keeping in mind the Graduated Response Triangle. If the Academy identifies that we are unable to fully meet the needs of a pupil through our provision arrangements additional evidence is collated through the request for a statutory needs assessment.
Waycroft MAT has a strong, collaborative relationship with the NHS Occupational Therapists, NHS Physiotherapists, NHS Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychology service, Bristol Autism Team, When external support is required the SENDCO will contact the appropriate service or agency. Then the external support provider alongside the SENDCO monitors the progress of the child. Costing and recording stays the responsibility of the SENDCO. Families, carers and the child are included in the process throughout, with the aim that families do not need to repeatedly explain their circumstances.
If Waycroft MAT feels that additional funding and support are needed from the LA High Needs Block, regular reviews are held including the family/carers and all relevant professionals. The child’s views are also collated as part of this process. If agreed an application is then submitted to the relevant local authority SEND team to the top up panel. The Bristol SEND team website (https://www.bristol.gov.uk/bristol-local-offer) and the BANES website (https://livewell.bathnes.gov.uk/special-educational-need-or-disability-send) have additional information.
On occasion, a referral to Early Help is made to access additional support.
Following an ASSESS-PLAN-DO-REVIEW cycle, the family/carers and teachers, under the guidance of the SENDCO, may decide to remove a child from the SEND register. This occurs when the child no longer meets the criteria included in the identifying special educational needs section of this policy (Section 3).
There are many places pupils and families/carers can find additional information.
Refer back to section 5 for the annual cycle of monitoring of SEND. On top of this other monitoring and evaluating actions include:
Academy Trustees and SLT monitor and evaluate the progress of all groups of learners including those with SEND. The nominated governor for SEND also works alongside the SENDCO on monitoring activities throughout the year and to produce key reports and documentation.
This shared responsibility promotes an active process of continual review and improvement of provision for all pupils.
The role of the Local Academy Council SEND Link Trustee in each academy
Waycroft – Mrs Pat Slee
Woodlands – Mr Lance Mason
Wicklea – Stephen Pratt
Is to support and challenge all aspects of SEND provision. The Waycroft MAT SEND Link Trustee is Andrew Bowden who reports to the Board of Trustees
Tracy French (Executive Head Teacher) and the Headteacher at each Waycroft MAT School, have responsibility for Safeguarding.
All SEND and historical documentation is held by the SENDCO of each Academy in a locked cupboard in a locked room. Learning Passports and non-sensitive information are held by class teachers for regular monitoring to enhance the impact of SEND provision. The SENDCO has responsibility for the distribution of external agency reports.
This policy will be reviewed annually to ensure it meets the requirements of the new Code of Practice 0-25 2015 plus any other new legislation.
If families, carers or pupils feel the need to complain our whole school complaints procedures are to be followed. See the Academy website or ask the office for a copy of this procedure.
Waycroft MAT does not tolerate bullying of any of its pupils. See the Academy website for a copy of our Anti-Bullying Policy and related documents. All potential bullying incidents are recorded formally in teams and these are monitored in Academy Council or Trust board meetings. All disablist, racist, homophobic, transgender, bullying and harassment incidents are taking seriously and are recorded formally and monitored by SLT and Academy Trustees. When incidents occur families/carers are informed.
Children are taught about the impact of bullying and how to prevent it through the PSHE curriculum and assemblies. This includes: safeguarding the needs of all pupils including those with SEND, promoting independence and building resilience in their learning.
E-safety training, specific tuition, using social stories, involving external agencies including the police and Circles of Friends are just a few strategies that are used by Waycroft MAT to address bullying concerns.
