Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
SEND Information Report
To read our school’s full SEND provision report including Frequently Asked Question, download the report below:
Ethos
All students have the right to realise their potential intellectually, socially and physically, to enjoy learning, stay safe and make a positive contribution. Our aim is for every child to achieve as highly as they possibly can. To this end, we display a variety of support strategies both within the mainstream classroom and in a small group or individual basis. We aim to ensure a successful transition to the next step after Horsforth School, either in further education, training or employment and we offer support for our students with additional needs in a variety of ways.
We work hard to promote the welfare and interests of our students with special needs, supporting their families and ensuring we do our best to provide accessibility in terms of curriculum provision, human and physical resources including making reasonable adjustments where necessary.
Leadership
SEND provision is overseen and led by the Senior Leadership Team in the school and is co-ordinated by the Assistant Headtecher for Inclusion, Miss McFadden and SENCO Mrs Warne.
The quality of our SEND provision and its impact are regularly reviewed by the Senior Leadership team and the governing body throughout the year.
The SEND Team
Our SEND students will primarily be supported through quality first teaching in the mainstream classroom. Some students may have some additional support in the classroom, others may have individual or group interventions. This support comes from our SEND team which is made up of our SEND admin support, a team of teaching assistants, SEND practitioners and our Assistant SENDco.
Policies
The school’s policies, available on our website, reflect the school’s commitment to the inclusion, safety and well-being of our students.
We regularly review our policies to ensure that they and our practice are compliant with relevant legislation.
Assessment
Key assessments are undertaken throughout the year and these are used to track the progress students are making and to shape the interventions we use to support students who are not making expected progress.
Staff are able to raise concerns about student progress through a referral system.
An assessment of potential need will be carried out and may include analysis of current progress, attendance and behaviour data, gathering staff, student and parent views.
Where additional need is identified and extra support required, students are sometimes moved on to higher levels of support provided by the SEND team. SEND students are involved in the setting and review of personal targets with members of staff.
Further assessments may be required and the support of other professionals may be used for this. We cannot diagnose need in school but can identify potential areas for further support.
Budget
Horsforth School receives a notional budget to help support all SEND students. Some students will receive extra funding through the ‘Funding For Inclusion’ (FFI) process. This money is used with additional funding allocated from the school’s budget to provide:
- small ability sets for core subjects for some students
- a supervised area before school, at break and lunchtime for vulnerable students; The LINK
- appropriate support for exam access
- Various intervention in all areas of need
- teaching assistant support for students in some lessons
- a bespoke and personalised curriculum for some students
- learning support in some classes
- other personalised interventions; both group and individual
Partnership
As a school we work with a range of partners including the Local Authority to ensure that our SEND provision is robust.
We work with the SEN Inclusion team at Leeds City Council to address the needs of individual students and work in partnership with several agencies to develop strategies to support our students.
Our Assistant Headteacher Inclusion and SENDco are part of a city wide network of professionals who share expertise regularly.
You may also want to consult the Leeds Local Offer website for information on services in Leeds http://www.leeds.gov.uk/residents/Pages/What-is-the-Leeds-local-offer.aspx
Training
Our Assistant Headteacher Inclusion and SENDco are both qualified SENDCos with experience working in this area.
Teaching staff access a programme of CPD throughout the year that addresses the key priorities of the School through whole school staff meetings and Teaching and Learning briefings.
Training on the needs of individual SEND students forms part of this. We also work wtih staff on supporting the needs of individuals through pastoral/SEND briefings.
The SEND Team consist of a group of skilled individuals who are trained to support SEND students and meet their individual needs. All teaching and non-teaching staff take part in an annual appraisal cycle.
Curriculum, Teaching and Learning
All of our students are treated as individuals and we have in place a well-planned curriculum that allows students to access appropriate courses and support to meet their needs. Members of staff use a range of strategies and resources to ensure work is planned and delivered at a level that meets the learning needs of all students through an increasingly personalised curriculum.
Support staff are deployed as appropriate to support SEND students in successfully accessing the curriculum.
SEND students are withdrawn from lessons for intensive support in some areas where necessary.
SEND students are involved in the planning of their curriculum through annual review meetings, regular contact with The SEND Team and involvement in drawing up/ amending individual plans; Learning Passports.
Complaints
We always aim to work with parents/carers and young people to provide the best educational support possible. Our provision and cations are monitored by trustees regularly and we are held accountable for the outcomes of our students with SEND.
If you have any concerns about SEND provision for your child please do reach out to the SEND team via info@horsforthschool.org who will always be happy to support.
You may wish to consult with SENDIASS-the impartial support service for parents/carers of young people with additional needs in Leeds
https://www.kids.org.uk/sendiass
You may also want to consult the Leeds Local Offer website for information on services in Leeds http://www.leeds.gov.uk/residents/Pages/What-is-the-Leeds-local-offer.aspx
If we are not able to resolve your concerns or you do not feel we have dealt with it in the right way our complaints procedures are available to view on the website.
Identifying Students with SEND
In line with the Code of Practice 2015 students at Horsforth School are identified as having special educational needs if:
They have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them because they have significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age or they have a disability which prevents them from making use of the facilities provided for students at school
At Horsforth School, students are identified as having special educational needs at the earliest possible point in order to implement effective provision to improve outcomes for the child.
Although not an explicit indicator of special education needs, students’ provision would be reviewed if their progress or attainment:
- is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline
- fails to match or better the child’s expected rate of progress
- shows an unusual gap between the child and their peers
In addition, parent/carers, school staff or the students themselves can identify an area of emerging need which would also be investigated by the SENCO who will organise appropriate additional provision if required.
The special educational needs and disability Code of Practice (2015) identifies 4 broad areas of need as:
- Communication and interaction
- Cognition and learning
- Social, emotional and mental health difficulties
- Sensory and/or physical needs
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I do if I think my child or young person may have special educational needs?
Parents/carers should contact the child’s Form Tutor by telephoning the school on 0113 226 5454, emailing the school via the email link at the top of the school web-site www.horsforthschool.org or by letter. Following any concerns, the Form Tutor will liaise with the Year coordinator and PBO Pastoral Behaviour Officer. They will gather information and assess how the student is doing in school. They may then liaise with the SEND team.
If concerns are raised, an appropriate assessment of student’s needs will take place and, if an area of SEND is identified, appropriate support will be put in place. This may involve signposting to other professionals if necessary. We cannot diagnose in school, we can only look for indicators of SEN, specific or otherwise, and implement appropriate support. You may need to contact your GP for a diagnosis or further support from medical professionals.
How will School support my child?
Most of the needs of our students can and will be accommodated very successfully in the mainstream classroom with Quality First Teaching. If your child has additional needs that means they require something different from, or additional to that of their peers in order to progress with their education, they will be placed on our SEND register. These students are flagged to staff and specific strategies will be shared with them on how best to meet the needs of the student. The responsibility for meeting these needs sits with the teacher.
If a student is still struggling to make progress despite these adaptations within the classroom, then they may need additional support.
If your child needs an individual programme to support their learning or behaviour, this will be complied by a member of staff who knows your child well. This could be, for example, the SENDCo, Year coordinator, Pastoral Behaviour Officer, Learning Support Mentor or a member of the Behaviour Support Team. Individual programmes for students with SEND will be overseen and reviewed by the SEND team in collaboration with you, your child, teachers and support staff working with them.
We have a variety of interventions we can put in place to support students and this is assessed on a case by case basis. Due to capacity there are waiting times for interventions on an individual basis.
How will the curriculum be matched to my child’s needs?
Each student has access to a curriculum which is differentiated to challenge and meet individual needs. Students may also be grouped to access targeted support or specific resources.
How accessible is the School?
An appropriate and accessible learning environment is provided within the confines of the building and a lift has been added to the main body of the building. Currently, however, there are parts of the building which could prove difficult to access for wheelchair users.
Horsforth School is committed to making reasonable adjustments for students with SEND and will consider making changes to physical features on their premises so that there are no physical barriers which prevent anyone from using their services, or make it unreasonably difficult for them to do so.
How will I know how well my child or young person is doing and how will you help me support my child’s learning?
In addition to regular reporting cycles (Progress Reviews) the results of which are shared with parents via our online platforms, there will also be parent/carer consultation evenings where there will be the opportunity to discuss your child’s progress with subject teachers.
Provision and progress for students with SEND will be reviewed regularly; at least once a year. Professionals from outside agencies may also be invited where appropriate. Review meetings will be focused on the child’s targets, aspirations and how these can be achieved.
Parents of children and young people with SEND may contact the Year coordinator in the first instance or SENDCo with any concerns and are welcome to request an appointment. In addition, parents/carers are encouraged to be involved in supporting their child’s education in consultation with the form tutor, subject teachers or members of the Pastoral Team.
What support will there be for my child’s overall wellbeing?
Horsforth School prides itself on having a caring and supportive ethos. All members of staff are committed to the well-being of all students at Horsforth School.
In addition, we have a Pastoral Team to ensure our students receive the highest levels of pastoral care possible.
All members of staff are trained in child protection procedures to ensure the Safeguarding of all children. In addition, there is a team of designated Child Protection staff in place which includes a team of Mental health first aiders.
What specialist services and expertise area available or accessed by the School?
Our Pastoral Team ensure parents/carers can feel confident when they approach school with a problem. Parents/carers are invited to share their concerns and from this school can access a range of services to provide support. This may involve referrals to Targeted Cluster Resources such as cluster counselling, Youth Service and Family Support.
Where specialist support is necessary to support Specific Learning Needs, our SENDCo can access specialist support, such as an Education Psychologist and Complex Needs Teams but these will be accessed on a needs basis and these services are in high demand.
What training and development is done by staff supporting those with SEND?
All members of staff at Horsforth School undertake continuous professional development. Training on SEND is undertaken so they can understand, support and develop our students with particular needs, share good practice and understand up-to-date developments with regard to any areas of SEND that are relevant to students within our school community.
In addition to being a qualified teacher, the SENDCo, has extensive experience of working with students with specific and general learning difficulties.
Members of the pastoral team have specialist training in developing social, emotional and behaviour skills.
Which areas of SEND do you have in your setting?
In school we have students who have challenges in all areas of SEND; Speech, language and communication, Social emotional and mental health, physical and sensory and cognition and learning. We endeavour to meet the needs of any students who attend our setting to the best of our ability, with the resources available. It is important to note that we are not a specialist setting for any of these areas and do not have any specialist teams on site.
How will my child be included in activities outside the classroom?
Young people with SEND have entitlement to all activities outside the classroom. Our aim is to ensure all children with SEND are able to access all activities and school trips enjoyed by their peers. Parents/carers may be involved in planning of activities to ensure safety and inclusion wherever possible.
We also have an additional provision for social times; the LINK, which students can access if the SEND team deem it appropriate.
How will the school help my child transfer to the next phase of education?
Transition arrangements and the involvement of students are firmly established in the School. The Transition and Pastoral team plan provision to ensure students make all transitions smoothly and confidently. This includes close liaison with staff at our local primary schools and we work closely with Horsforth Children’s Services.
Parents/ carers of children with SEND will be invited to additional information evenings.
Information on new students is shared with staff prior to their arrival in September by various methods.
How are School resources allocated and matched to the children’s needs?
Decisions about the type and amount of support a student with SEND requires are made by the SENDCo in collaboration where possible, with parents / carers, teachers and any services involved.
Examples of the effective use of SEND funding include: supporting our Literacy and Numeracy Development programmes, the LINK provision, employment of Teaching Assistants who support in and outside the classroom, transition classes and support from visiting agencies. Support is allocated according to need; students whose progress is not in line with that of their peers will take priority.
Leeds City Council provides top-up funding for a small number of students with a high level of SEND. This is in addition to our notional SEND budget and is targeted to support identified students. This has to be applied for separately by the school and is not always allocated.
How is the decision made about what type and how much support my child will receive?
The SENDCo and Pastoral Team take advice from all professionals involved with the young person alongside the views of parents/carers and the young person themselves if appropriate. The best package of support will be presented accordingly.
How are parents/carers involved in the School?
The Governing Body has a number of parent governors to act as a link between the school and all parents/carers.
Parents/carers are kept informed through regular web-site updates, consultation evenings and parent/carer evenings.
Parents are welcome to contact the school at any time to discuss any issues concerning their child’s education and well-being.
What wraparound care is available for students with SEND?
School opens from 8am for all students; social areas are available for students prior to the start of the school day at 8.20am. School is open for all students until 4pm Monday to Thursday when they are able to access the ELC (computer suite) or our library for independent study. School closed to all pupils at 3pm Friday.
Who can I contact for further information?
Key contact details are on our website.
All general queries should be addressed to the relevant person via info@horsforthschool.org
SEND
SENDCo – Mrs Tamara Warne sendadmin@horsforthschool.org
Admissions
The Admissions Team
Progress issues/concerns
Your child’s Year coordinator
Year 7 – Mr Jacques
Year 8 – Mr Hanna
Year 9 –Miss O’Dowd
Year 10 – Mr Maxwell
Year 11-Mr Bennett
Pastoral concerns via the pastoral hub
Year 7-Mrs Brotherton
Year 8- Mrs Harris
Year 9- Mrs Patel
Year 10- Mrs Byford
Year 11- Mr Croft
If you require further information about the local offer for SEND students in Leeds please click on the link below
http://www.leeds.gov.uk/residents/Pages/What-is-the-Leeds-local-offer.aspx