Special Educational Needs and Disability
Structure and staffing The SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) department is led by Cat Parry and consists of 3 distinct but complementary parts that make up the inclusion team; the Learning Support room, the Student Support Centre and The Hub. The learning support room focuses on the academic support our students need to be successful and the latter 2 on the behaviour and emotional well-being which is equally important to the students’ happiness and achievement. The staff across these 3 areas work closely together to promote an inclusive ethos within the school and provide a range of expertise and interventions.
In some circumstances, we will provide smaller classrooms that make returning to school following a long absence easier and a less daunting experience for students who are feeling vulnerable for whatever reason. We liaise with parents/carers and other professionals to ensure that all students receive support which is appropriate to meet their individual needs.
Our social area provides a safe haven at breaks and lunchtimes (the Hub, Student Support Centre and the Library).
Across these 3 departments we offer the following:
- 1:1 advice and mentoring
- Academic mentoring
- Anger management
- Behavioural support
- Break time social club & Homework Club
- Computerised literacy skills
- Drawing and talking therapy
- Home - School communication book for certain students Nurture groups
- Paired reading
- Peer reading
- Power of 1, Power of 2
- Read Write Inc.
- Referrals to outside agencies
- Raising resilience
- Restorative meetings
- Self-esteem and anxiety support
- Social skills
- Social stories
- Stress management
- Toe by toe
- Word Wasp
As well as listening to the students, we aim to work closely with parents/carers to build and sustain a working partnership based on the belief that their child’s needs are being met.
Learning Support Room Teaching Assistants work within lessons and subject departments that reflect their knowledge and skills. They can also work with individual students and run (short-term) small group interventions.