SEN & Vulnerable Students

We aim to give all students access to a broad and balanced curriculum. For some students this will mean providing additional, or differentiated, support to enable them to learn and make progress.

Aims of Learning Support

We aim to give all students access to a broad and balanced curriculum. For some students this will mean providing additional, or differentiated, support to enable them to learn and make progress.

In line with the principles of the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (2015), we aim to give all students the opportunity to reach their full potential. For some students this will mean providing additional, or differentiated, support to enable them to make progress towards achieving their aspirations.

We work closely with subject areas, the pastoral team and other school-based support staff, external agencies and parents/carers; we aim to ensure that appropriate information is shared effectively to enable us to meet students’ needs. 

We work closely with students to work towards agreed outcomes, monitor achievement and celebrate success.

 
Special Educational Needs and Disability Information Report

We recognise that there are four main areas of Special Educational Need as identified in the Code of Practice 2015:

  • Communication and Interaction
  • Cognition and Learning
  • Social, Emotional and Mental Health
  • Sensory and/or Physical

Support for Learning

As an inclusive mainstream college, we are committed to meeting the needs of all students with Special Educational Needs and Disability. We work closely with parents/carers, the Special Education Service and feeder schools, both to ensure that Judgemeadow is able to meet the needs of its students and to identify a suitable alternative placement on the rare occasions where it is felt that would be more appropriate.

We have due regard to the Equality Act 2010.

What should I do if I think my child has special educational needs?

Discuss initial subject concerns with subject teacher. If you are concerned about a number of subjects, discuss with your child’s tutor or Head of Year. The Head of Year/your child’s tutor will discuss the concerns with Sally Howgate (SENCO)
The school works to the definition of special education needs outlined in the Code of Practice for SEN 2014:
A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for them. A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if they have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or have a disability which prevents or hinders them from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions.
We can provide support for the four main areas of need identified in the Code of Practice: communication and interaction, cognition and learning, social, emotional and mental health difficulties and sensory and/or physical needs.


How will the school respond to my concern?

  • A member of staff will listen to and investigate your concerns
  • We will get back to you by phone or e-mail within three days
  • If needed, we will set up a meeting in school to discuss your concerns.


How will the school decide if my child needs extra support?

  • Within a single subject, the subject teacher and Head of Department will decide
  • If the concern is across a number of subjects, the SENCO and Head of Year will decide
  • Where possible, the decision will be based on data about your child’s attainment in comparison to other children and their progress, as outlined in the definition of special educational needs from the 2014 Code of Practice. This data will include subject based assessments of attainment and progress along with assessments carried out by the Support for Learning Department, such as baseline literacy tests.


What is your school’s approach to teaching and including young people with special educational needs and disabilities?

  • The school believes that all learners should be included in all school activities as far as practicable, unless there are health and safety or safeguarding reasons not to do so
  • Most support for learners with special educational needs takes place in the class room, alongside learners who do not have special educational needs
  • Teachers will differentiate lesson materials and adapt their teaching approaches to meet the needs of children in their classes
  • Staff within the Support for Learning department will work with you and your child to make reasonable adjustments to make sure that your child is included in extra-curricular activities and trips, where possible
  • Displays in the Support for Learning department will promote a positive image of special educational needs and encourage high aspirations


What will the school do to support my child?

  • If additional support is needed across a number of subjects, your child will be placed on the SEN register
  • In most cases, your child will continue to be educated alongside other learners in their normal classes. In this way they will benefit from the expertise of the subject teacher. They may be supported in class by a teaching assistant or removed from some lessons to receive specific support, either one to one or in a small group.
  • The support will be based on the cycle of: assess, plan, do and review
  • All additional support will be recorded on the school’s provision map. This will indicate the nature of the support, how often it takes place and its effectiveness
  • The SENCO may also work with you and your child to put together an Individual Education Plan, including some specific short term targets.


Who will support my child in school?

Where the school decides it is appropriate, your child may be supported by the following:

  • Class teachers
  • Form tutor
  • Head of Year
  • Teaching Assistants
  • SENCO
  • Attendance Officer


What training and experience do staff have for the additional support my child needs?

Within the Educational Support department there is a wide variety of training, experience and qualifications including:

  • National Award in SEN Co-ordination
  • Training from a number of outside agencies on specific needs, such as autism, attachment issues, dyslexia and dyspraxia
  • If the Support for Learning department does not have the specialist expertise to deal with your child’s special educational needs, we will endeavour to use the expertise of an outside agency e.g the HI and VI team and the Learning Communication and Interaction Team.


Who else might be involved in supporting my child?

Depending on the needs of your child, the following agencies may be involved:

  • Educational Psychologist
  • CAMHS worker
  • Specialist Teaching Team
  • Child & Young Persons Nursing Team
  • VI/HI/LCI Team
  • Early Help Worker
  • Youth Offending Team
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Physiotherapist
  • Specialist Nurse Trainers


What support will be there for my child’s emotional and social well-being?

  • Pastoral support will be provided by your child’s tutor, supported by the relevant Head of Year, who they will see on a daily basis
  • The Support for Learning department has a number of interventions it can put in place to support your child’s emotional and social well-being, such as social and communication groups.
  • The school’s behaviour management policy outlines how the school promotes positive behaviour
  • The Support for Learning department plays a large role in promoting positive behaviour and avoiding exclusion


How will my child be involved in the process and be able to contribute their views?

  • Your child will be invited to any review that takes place and will be asked to give their views on the support they receive in school


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

  • As far as possible, your child will study a broad and balanced curriculum
  • In many subjects, learners are grouped according to ability, allowing teaching staff to gear their lessons at the appropriate level
  • Teachers will try to prepare materials and teaching approaches to meet the individual needs of learners
  • These approaches include using seating plans to encourage learning, clear objectives and differentiated success criteria for all lessons and the use of different ways of recording information
  • To help with this, teachers will have access to baseline data for your child and a profile, outlining needs and strategies, for all students on the SEND register
  • Baseline data includes Key Stage 2 SAT results, Key Stage 3 assessment scores, CAT test results and reading and spelling ages
  • There might be a teaching assistant in some of your child’s lessons to help with their learning
  • In some circumstances your child may be withdrawn from lessons in order to concentrate on the development of key skills, such as literacy and numeracy.


What opportunities will there be for me to be involved in supporting my child’s attainment and achievement? How will I know how well my child is progressing?

  • In addition to the termly progress updates that all students receive, SEND reviews will provide the opportunity to discuss attainment and achievement
  • Members of the Support for Learning department attend Parents’ Evenings to discuss progress
  • Other forms of contact may be used


How does the school know how well my child is doing?

  • Progress Updates are issued. These are used to report current attainment and progress towards aspirational targets. The overarching philosophy is the progression of skills, knowledge and understanding over time towards the target grade.
  • Your child’s reading will be tested every year.
  • Learners receiving additional literacy interventions have their reading comprehension ability tested every term
  • Assessment for Learning strategies ensure that your child is involved in monitoring their own progress and setting targets
  • Parents and children will be involved in assessing and reviewing progress at SEND review meetings and parents’ evenings.


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

  • We will work with you and your child to ensure that, where possible, they are able to take part in activities outside of the classroom
  • This may include preliminary visits, reasonable adjustments and the preparation of risk assessments
  • If you are concerned about how your child will access an out of classroom activity or school trip, contact the trip organiser in the first instance.


How accessible is the school environment? How accessible is the curriculum?

  • The school is fully wheelchair accessible, including disabled toilets
  • Teachers differentiate their lessons in order to make sure that young people can access the learning.


How will the school prepare and support my child to join the school?

  • A member of the Support for Learning department will attend SEND review meetings at your child’s primary school, as far as possible
  • Your child will have the opportunity to attend one full day and 1 morning visit during Year 6 transition.
  • If your child is transferring from another secondary school, a member of the Support for Learning department will either speak to your child’s previous school to gather information. In this situation, contact the Support for Learning department to arrange a visit for you and your child.


How will the school prepare and support my child to transfer to a new setting/school/college?

  • Careers guidance takes place throughout Years 7-11
  • When your child applies to another school or college in Year 11, we will liaise with their new setting to ensure that they are fully aware of your child’s needs. We will support them with visits to their new setting.


How can I be involved in supporting my child?

  • You can check your child’s homework on a regular basis (at least weekly) to monitor homework
  • You can provide your child with an appropriate place to do homework and encourage them to complete it at a regular time
  • You can support your child with the organisation of their school equipment
  • You can attend parents’ evening and review meetings
  • You can reinforce and support the points outlined in the Home-School Agreement
  • You can encourage your child to read on a regular basis. If your child finds reading difficult, we can provide ideas about how to work with them, for example paired reading.


How is the effectiveness of the provision made for learners with special educational needs evaluated?

  • Data is used to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions and class teaching
  • Quality assurance procedures are used to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching assistant support
  • The procedures include lesson observations, teacher surveys, young people surveys and performance management interviews
  • The overall provision is evaluated in meetings between the SENCO and the Line Manager of the Learning Support Department
  • Further challenge and support is provided by the SEN Governor.


How can I access support for myself and my family?

  • There are a number of organisations and agencies that can support you and your family. These can be found in the Local Offer section of the website.


Who can I contact for further information or if I have a complaint about the provision made for my child?

  • In the first instance, contact Sally Howgate, SENCO

 

More information for parents/carers

Further information has been provided below for questions parents/carers have about learning support.

We gather information from a number of sources in order to identify potential SEN:

  • Close liaison with primary schools to obtain transition information and data
  • Baseline testing on arrival to obtain data and inform decisions about early intervention. These tests include the New Group Reading Test (NGRT)
  • Scheduled reading assessment throughout KS3
  • Responding to ‘Cause for Concern’ from staff, parents/carers or the students themselves
  • Reports and advice from external agencies and services
  • Systematic analysis of reviews/reports to identify lack of progress/underachievement

Within the team, we have a number of staff members who are qualified to carry out school-based assessments of students we believe may have learning difficulties. Where further investigation of needs is indicated we refer to our link professionals in SEND Support Services and Educational Psychology.

For the most part students will be included in mainstream lessons where their needs will be met through quality first teaching, differentiation and effective feedback.

Student Profiles for students with SEN are available to teachers and support staff on the college network to provide background information on students’ needs and strategies to support them.

Additional provision will be made for students with identified needs through in-class support, or small group/individual intervention as required with the aim of helping students make progress in line with, or above, expectations.

These interventions include:

  • Supported Reading
  • Direct Instruction Corrective Reading
  • Small Group Maths/ MFL (Year 8 students in Direct Instruction Maths for Year 7)
  • Small additional Maths and English groups  (Year 9, 10 and 11)
  • Communication Skills Group
  • Nurture Groups
  • Individual mentoring/coaching support in KS4
  • SEN Homework Club

(For full details of our interventions, please see our Provision Map.)

Our assessment data is used to determine groups for a number of subjects.

Teachers are able to access additional information, including suggested strategies for support through each student’s Student Profile.

Teaching Assistant support is provided in many lessons for students identified as having additional needs to enhance access to the curriculum.

During Key Stage 4, some students with SEN have access to personalised learning pathways matched to need. Most students will study a range of GCSE/BTEC subjects. Some will have a combination of GCSE subjects and alternative options to develop key skills and life skills.

Assessments of students for access arrangements (exam concessions) are carried out in college by the SENCo

The Judgemeadow College building was opened in May 2009 and is fully DDA and Building Regulations compliant. Lifts to all floors allow wheelchair users to access all areas of the building. There are accessible toilets in all departments and designated accessible parking.

Most teaching of students with SEN takes place in mainstream classrooms in faculty areas, and there is a designated space for small group/individual intervention located in or near to the Learning Resources Centre.

Classrooms and technology areas are equipped with rise-and-fall tables, white boards and other facilities to aid accessibility.

We work with Children and Young People’s Occupational Therapy Services in liaison with parents/carers to ensure that furniture, equipment and the general environment is adapted as far as reasonably practicable to meet the needs of individuals.

We act on advice from the Visual Impairment Support Team to ensure that the building is safe and accessible for students with visual impairment.

A well-equipped hygiene room is located for convenience near reception.

To ensure that students on the SEN register have a smooth and worry-free transition we liaise closely with primary schools and external agencies, and where appropriate attend transition reviews. We organise additional visits/workshops for SEN students. Parents/carers are welcome to visit the College by prior arrangement and are invited to Welcome Events taking place in the Summer Term.

Students receive additional support when making Key Stage 4 options and meet the school's Careers Officer for assistance in making post-16 choices. The Connexions Specialist SEN PA is involved where appropriate. Information about SEN support needs and exam arrangements are shared with Post 16 providers and meetings take place with college support staff prior to transition to share information and ensure good ongoing support.

At review meetings we actively encourage aspiration and planning for the future.

Members of the Team are always available at Open Evening, Parents’ Consultation Evenings and Options Evening in order to discuss concerns and answer questions.

We work closely with our Home/School Liaison Officer to ensure effective communication with homes where English is a second or additional language; translation is provided in a number of languages where required.

Top-up Funding (EHCP and high-level need Element 3 funding) is used to provide:

  • TA support in lessons/unstructured time
  • Named staff support
  • Small group/individual interventions
  • Reformatting of resources for VI students

We actively encourage the involvement of parents/carers:

Supporting your child/young person with homework/organisation for learning at home, including checking Classcharts.

Attending pastoral and SEN review meetings and Parents’ Evenings.

Keeping in contact with key staff (FT/HOY/AHOY/Senco) regarding concerns as they arise.

The form tutor is usually the first point of contact. Parents/carers can also make contact directly with the Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator or Head of Year by phone/email through the school office: [email protected]

Telephone: 0116 241 1920

Learning Support Staff are always available at Parents’ Evenings and are happy to address general concerns where time allows or make an appointment to meet later.

At Judgemeadow around 10% of students may be on the SEN register at any time, including a small number with EHCPs (usually between 1% and 2%). Students may be added to, or removed from, the Register at any time following consultation with school staff, parents and the students themselves.

Sources of Further information

Documents
Provision Map
SEN Guide for Parents and Carers
Dyslexia Guide for Parents and Carers
Autism guide for Parents and Carers
Dyslexia Guide for Students

For further information about the provision for students with SEND throughout the city please click here to see the Leicester City Council Local Offer.

There is also a team of 11 teaching assistants (10.1 wholetime equivalent), many of whom have individual responsibilities, including:

  • Delivering directed physiotherapy
  • Adapting resources for students with visual impairment
  • Organisational skills intervention
  • Literacy programmes
  • Behaviour support
  • Individual coaching