Special Educational Needs & Disabilities

Special Educational Needs & Disabilities

Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities

Alcester Academy has a strong commitment to supporting all students. For those that have Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND) this can often mean greater engagement with parents/carers and/or outside agencies. Specific needs are identified at school entry or as soon as these arise. Staff are informed of these needs. We welcome parental involvement with this. Where required, the Academy works closely with Warwickshire Sendias.
 
The views of the student are valued and seen as a vital part of the decision making process.
The school actively seeks to work with parents/carers and values the contributions they make.
All teachers in the school are responsible for the needs of individual students.

Teachers are supported by a specialist group of staff consisting of:

 
Alcester Academy SEND Teachers Deputy SENCO

Mrs A Bush

SENCO
Bsc (Hons) and Post Graduate National SENCO Award

Alcester Academy SEND Teachers Link Governor

Mrs C Hodgetts

SEND Link Govenor


Alcester Academy SEND Teachers TA

Miss A Butler

TA

Alcester Academy SEND Teaching Assistant

Mrs P Hale

TA

Alcester Academy SEND Teachers Assistant

Mrs K Passantino

TA

Alcester Academy SEND Teachers Admin Support

Mrs P Lacey

SEND 
Admin Support

Alcester Academy SEND Teachers Education Psychology

Mrs D Preece

Education Psychology

Alcester Academy SEND Teachers Education Consultant

Lucy Clarke

Education Consultant SEND Supported

Alcester Academy SEND Teachers Education

Claire Cole

Education Consultant SEND Supported


            


Help and Support

Mrs C Hodgetts, SEND Link Governor can be contacted through the Academy website, please click here.

A variety of strategies are used to help students access the curriculum. Excellent links have been established with primary feeder schools, external agencies, and the school health team. The Academy has a Careers Advisor that can support students with future choices.

Support may also be provided in the following ways:

  • Additional visits to the school in Year 6. These might include joint attendance at formal Review stages or one to one/small group work regarding Transition
  • Targeted in-class support from Teaching Assistants
  • Targeted subject interventions
  • Progress Plans for Individual Students
  • Small group work
  • One-to-one support
  • Specific workshops on identified needs with students and/or parents
  • Differentiated materials to help students to access the curriculum
  • Support with homework
  • Access arrangements for school and external examinations
  • Support from SEND Supported  
  • Educational Psychology (EP)
  • E mail communication with the SENCO and Deputy SENCO

Parents/carers are encouraged to contact Mrs Mellors (Deputy Head Teacher/SENCO) if they have any concerns regarding Special Educational Needs & Disabilities: sarahmellors@alcesteracademy.org.uk

Examples of some of the work within the SEND area:

How Alcester Academy has responded to Warwickshire’s Local Offer (SEN Information Report); what is our provision?

 
 
 
The Warwickshire Authority Local SEND Offer can be found at:
 
If parents/ carers feel that they need to complain about a matter related to SEND provision having liaised with the SENCo, please refer to the Complaints Policy for the school.
 
If you ever require the facility of a document being read out loud, it’s actually rather simple to do! Adobe Reader and Microsoft Word have the facility built-in. Read Out Loud Instructions

Admissions Criteria for Children with SEND

Alcester Academy follows the Admissions Guidance for Warwickshire Schools.
 
Where a particular school is named in a child’s Education and Health Care Plan there is a duty to offer the child a place at the school. http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/secondaryschool

Further Reading

SEND Policy
Accessibility Policy
Admissions Policy
Equality Policy

Information leaflet listing Coventry & Warwickshire Services
Flowchart for Parents SEND Support in Schools
Poster - Empowering Families
SEND Code of Practice
Special educational needs and disability - A guide for parents and carers
August 2014

Dept. of Education Letter

Poster - Reach Briefing Note

Warwickshire Parent Partnership Service Leaflet
SEN Jargon Buster
SEN The SEN Process
SEND Flow Charts
Parents Guide to Accelerated Reader

New SEND Code of Practice 2014


Alcester Academy is already addressing the requirements highlighted in the new SEND Code of Practice. The SEND Code of Practice gives more support for young people from the age of 0-25 years old. Students will no longer have Statements of Educational Need; these will be replaced with Education, Health and Care Plans. A transition plan for these changes will be adopted by Warwickshire shortly.
For further details see the SEND Code of Practice

The following organisations may be of further support to parents:

The National Autistic Society
British Dyslexia Association
Dyslexia Action
ASD Friendly
PDA Society
The Dyscalculia Centre
Together Trust
Warwickshire County Council - SEN
Warwickshire County Council - IDS
Living with ADHD
Achievement For All
Young Minds
SENDirect

Students with High Level Medical Needs 

The Academy works alongside students and parents to manage medical needs at all levels. Where required, this includes engagement with the School Health Team. We are used to providing quite bespoke arrangements for those students with high level medical needs. Key workers are attached to students who are identified members of staff briefed and trained to be able to specifically work along-side families during what can be an anxious time.

Diabetes UK
Asthma UK
NHS Choices
Brittle Bone Society
CCFA

Friendship Group

The Academy runs a lunchtime ‘Friendship Group’ on a Tuesday and Thursday lunchtime. This is currently open to children from all year groups. The club focuses upon helping the students to develop the emotional and social skills needed in order to prepare them for later life as well as being an opportunity to have good fun! Students are supported and encouraged to try new things in the presence of caring and committed staff. Recent activities have included cooking and crafts, developing sharing skills with game tournaments and most recently concluding the term with a ‘Talent Show’.

Please speak to Mrs Hale or Miss Butler for further details.

Alcester Academy Friendship Group SEND

Homework Club

Homework Club runs in ICT 3 every lunchtime and is supported by Mrs Passantino. This is a relaxed and caring environment where students can complete their work in a supported way. For students wishing to stay after school, homework can be completed in the LRC each Tuesday and Thursday from 3.25-4.25pm. Speak to any member of the Teaching Assistant team for more details.

Mrs Hale currently runs Year 11 ‘Catch Up’ support in the LRC each Monday 3.25-4.25pm.

Gardening Club

Why not try your hand at gardening? Mrs Black runs the Gardening Club each Monday lunchtime and Wednesday after school. Have fun getting in tune with nature whilst growing some amazing produce!

SEND Supported

Please visit the SENDSupported website.