Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Policy 

2023-2024

Co-op Academy Broadhurst is committed to providing an appropriate and high quality education to all. We believe that all children, including those identified as having special educational needs, have a common entitlement to a broad and balanced academic and social curriculum, which is accessible to them, and to be fully included in all aspects of academy life.

This policy describes the way we meet the need for children who experience barriers to their learning, which may relate to sensory or physical impairment, learning difficulties or emotional or social development and explains how we strive to develop an environment where all children can flourish and feel safe.

We recognise that pupils learn at different rates and that there are many factors affecting achievement, including ability, emotional state, age and maturity. We are particularly aware of the needs of our Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1 pupils, for whom maturity is a crucial factor in terms of readiness to learn. We believe that many pupils, at some time in their academy career, may experience difficulties which affect their learning, and we recognise that these may be long or short term.

At Co-op Academy Broadhurst we aim to identify these needs as they arise and provide teaching and learning contexts which enable every child to achieve his or her full potential.

Objectives

1. To ensure the SEN and Disability Act and relevant Codes of Practice and guidance are implemented effectively across the Academy.
2. To ensure equality of opportunity for and to eliminate prejudice and discrimination against children with special educational needs.
3. To continually monitor the progress of all pupils, to identify needs as they arise and to provide support as early as possible.
4. To provide full access to the curriculum* through differentiated planning by class teachers, SENCo and support staff as appropriate. (*Except where disapplication, arising from a Statement occurs, disapplication is very rare, and we aim to offer the full curriculum to all our pupils).
5. To provide specific input, matched to individual needs, in addition to differentiated classroom provision, for those pupils recorded as having SEND.
6. To ensure that pupils with SEND are perceived positively by all members of the Academy community, and that SEND and inclusive provision is positively valued and accessed by staff and parents/carers.
7. To involve parents/carers at every stage in plans to meet their child’s additional needs.
8. To involve the children themselves in planning and in any decision making that affects them where appropriate.

Coordinating SEND Provision

1. The SENCo will meet with each class teacher at least twice a year to discuss additional needs, concerns and to review Individual Support Plans (ISP).
2. At other times, the SENCo will be alerted to newly arising concerns through the initial concern form. 
3. The SENCo will discuss issues arising from these forms with the class teacher within one week of receiving the form.
4. Where necessary, reviews will be held more frequently than twice a year for some children.
5. Targets arising from ISP meetings and parental conversations will be used to inform and support whole class approaches to inclusion, e.g. differentiation, varied teaching styles and support from home.
6. The SENCo monitors planning for SEND and supports teachers with curriculum planning.
7. The SENCo, together with the Headteacher, monitors the quality and effectiveness of provision for pupils with SEND through classroom observation.

8. SEND support is primarily delivered by class teachers through differentiated teaching methods and Quality First Teaching. Additional support is provided by the SENCo and by trained teaching assistants (TAs) throughout the Academy. This is funded from the Academy’s annual budget. The support timetable is reviewed termly and annually, by the SENCo, and the management team, in line with current pupil needs, educational initiatives, and the budget. Additional support is funded through individual allocations from the Local Education Authority (LEA).
9. Support staff, class teachers, SENCo and outside agencies liaise and share developments in order to inform reviews and forward planning.

Specialised Provision

There are no specific special educational needs, classes or groups at Co-op Academy Broadhurst.

Allocation of Resources to and amongst Pupils

A proportion of the academy budget is used to support pupils with SEN and disabilities. This is

allocated as follows:

• Non-contact time for the SENCo
• Teaching Assistant support (including 1:1 support)
• Outside Agencies support (Speech and Language Therapist, Educational Psychologist, Outreach support)
• Training for staff
• Resources (e.g. sensory equipment, OT resources, assessment resources)

The equipment and facilities to support children with SEND will be secured by the SENCo and Head teacher through managing budgets and applying for additional funding. Each year we map our provision to show how we allocate resources to each year group and calculate the cost of the whole of our SEND provision.

How do we ensure that your children are included in activities outside the classroom, including physical activities and academy trips?

All students are included in all academy activities and no student has missed out because of their SEND, everyone is fully included. For children with SEND a risk assessment may need to be carried out to see if any adjustments need to be made. The academy runs a fully inclusive Breakfast and After School Care.

What is SEND?

In the SEND Code of Practice, it states that a child has SEND where, “…their learning difficulty or disability calls for special educational provision, namely provision different from or additional to that normally available to pupils of the same age”. 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. We understand that additional intervention and support cannot compensate for a lack of good quality teaching. Formal lesson observations, regular learning walks and book looks help us to monitor this and where necessary, provide feedback and strategies to improve teachers’ knowledge and understanding of SEND.

Our SEND support takes the form of a four-part cycle through which earlier decisions and actions are revisited, refined and revised with a growing understanding of the pupil’s needs and of what supports the pupil in making good progress and securing good outcomes. This is known as the Graduated Approach.

Identification and Assessment Arrangements

Children’s SEND are generally thought of in the following four broad areas of need and support (from the SEND Code of Practice):

• Communication and interaction (e.g. Autistic Spectrum Disorder, ASD)
• Cognition and learning (e.g. Dyslexia)
• Social, emotional and mental health (e.g. Attachment disorder, Anxiety disorders)
• Sensory and/or physical needs (e.g. visual or hearing impairment)

These areas give an overview of the range of needs to plan for but children may have needs that cut across all these areas, and their needs may change over time. The purpose of identification is to work out how the Academy can best support a child, not to fit the pupil into a category. At Co-op Academy Broadhurst, we identify the needs of children by considering the needs of the whole child, not just the special educational needs of the person.

These factors are NOT SEN, but we recognise that they may impact progress and attainment:

• Disability (the Code of Practice outlines the ‘reasonable adjustment’ duty for all settings and schools provided under current Disability Equality legislation – these alone do not constitute SEND)
• Attendance and punctuality
• Health and Welfare
• EAL (English as an Additional Language)
• Being in receipt of the Pupil Premium Grant (PPG)
• Being a Looked After Child (LAC)
• Being a child of Servicewoman/man

The academy’s system for regularly observing, assessing and recording the progress of all children is used to identify children who are not progressing satisfactorily and who may have additional needs. Children with additional needs are assessed using the year group expectations they are working within to enable us to measure their progress.

The academy’s system includes reference to information provided by:

• Baseline assessment results.
• National Curriculum descriptors for the end of a Key Stage.
• Standardised screening and assessment tools.
• Observations of behavioural, emotional and social development.
• An existing Educational, Health Care Plan or Assessment.
• Assessments by a specialist service, such as educational psychology, identifying additional needs.
• Another school or Local Authority which has identified or has provided for additional needs.

Based on the academy’s observations and assessment data and following a discussion between the class teacher, SENCo and parent, the child will be supported by following the academy’s SEND Pathway Journey (Appendix 1)

Differentiated Curriculum Provision

In order to make progress a child may only require differentiation of the whole class planning. This differentiation may involve modifying learning objectives, teaching styles, and/or access strategies through Quality First Teaching. Under these circumstances, a child’s needs will be provided for within the whole class planning frameworks and individual target setting.  

Differentiation will be recorded in the daily planning by the class teacher. Monitoring of progress will be carried out by the class teacher and used to inform future differentiation within whole class planning. The child’s progress will then be reviewed at the same intervals as for the rest of the class and a decision made about whether the child is making satisfactory progress at this level of intervention.

The academy uses the definitions of adequate progress as suggested in the revised Code of Practice, that is, progress which:

• Closes the attainment gap between the child and their peers.
• Prevents the attainment gap from growing wider.
• Is similar to that of peers starting at the same attainment baseline, but less than the majority of peers.
• Matches or betters the child’s previous rate of progress.
• Ensures full access to the curriculum.
• Demonstrates an improvement in self-help or social or personal skills.
• Demonstrates an improvement in the child’s behaviour.

Children at this stage may have a One-Page Profile. Where a period of differentiated curriculum support has not resulted in the child making adequate progress or where the nature or level of a child’s needs are unlikely to be met by such an approach, a programme of extra provision may need to be made. If this is the case then staff will complete a Cause for concern sheet (Appendix 2, 3 and 4) for the appropriate key stage and then pass onto the SENCo and SEN Specialist Teaching Assistant as per the SEND Flowchart Journey (Appendix 1).

Programme of Extra Provision

Stage 2 provision would be indicated where there is evidence that:

• There has been little or no progress made with existing interventions.
• Additional support is required to develop literacy or numeracy skills.
• Additional support is required for emotional, behaviour or social development.
• Additional support is required for sensory or physical impairments.
• Additional support is required for communication or interaction needs.

There are likely to be two groups of children recorded at this stage

1. Children who have needs similar to other children with additional needs within the class, e.g.  lack of phonic knowledge or phonological skills, spelling.
2. Children whom we consider to have more severe or longer term needs that are likely to result in an application for further professional advice.

Where needs are similar, it is appropriate to support these children within a group focussing on the common needs. However, always ensuring there is provision for each child to have an individual target(s). 

Both groups of children will have provision for their common needs in a small group as well as some individualised support for their more unique needs. Provision will run concurrently with differentiated curriculum support. The group may be taught by the class teacher and also supported by a TA.

The responsibility for planning for these children remains with the class teacher, in consultation with the SENCo.

A child receiving support at this may have an Individual or Group Support Plan.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Termly learning walks, observations, book looks, pupil interviews, reading with children and informal discussions with teachers, parents and pupils help the SENCo to monitor the effectiveness of the provision for children with SEND. The Governing Body appoints a SEND Governor who monitors provision and outcomes for children with SEN on a termly basis. A record of this is logged in the minutes of Full Governing Body meetings. The SENCo presents a SEND report to Governors on an annual basis and shares this in a meeting.

Involvement of External Agencies

A child receiving support will have an Individual Support Plan. Provision at this level should include the involvement of specialist services. A variety of support can be offered by these services, such as advice to the Academy about targets and strategies, specialised assessment or some direct work with the child. The specialist services will always contribute to the planning, monitoring and reviewing of the child’s progress. Monitoring of these reviews will be at least on a termly basis.

An individual record is gathered for the child, which contains information about Academy based observation and assessment, a summary of the child’s additional needs and action taken to meet them, including any advice sought from outside agencies. Achievements and difficulties are also recorded. The SENCo will look at the monitoring information on a half-termly or termly basis and make adjustments to the provision for the child, if appropriate.

Individual Support Plans will be reviewed at least twice a year, although some pupils may need more frequent reviews. The SENCo will take the lead in the review process.  Parents/carers and wherever possible, their child, will be invited to contribute and will be consulted about any further actions as part of the Parental Conversations.

As part of the review process, the SENCo and Academy colleagues, in consultation with the parents/carers, may conclude that despite receiving an individualised programme and/or concentrated support for a considerable period, the child continues to have significant needs which are not being met by current interventions. Where this is the case a decision may be made to make a request for Statutory Assessment.

Academy request for a Statutory Assessment

For a child who is not making adequate progress, despite a period of support at the previous stage, and in agreement with the parents/carers, the Academy may request the LA to make a statutory assessment in order to determine whether it is necessary to make an Educational Health Care Plan (EHCP).

The Academy is required to submit evidence to the LA whose SEN Panel makes a judgement about whether or not the child’s needs can continue to be met from the resources normally available to the Academy. This judgement will be made using the LA current criteria for making a statutory assessment.

Planning, provision, monitoring and review processes continue as before while awaiting the outcome of the request.

Educational, Health Care Plan 

An Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) is the document which replaces the Statement of SEN. It describes a child’s SEN needs and the help they will get to meet them. The plan is a legal document written by the local authority. EHCPs are only for children who need a high level of support. A child who has an EHCP will continue to have arrangements as for all previous stages and additional support that is provided using the funds made available through the EHCP.

There will be an Annual Review, chaired by the SENCo, to review the appropriateness of the provision and to recommend to the LA whether any changes need to be made, either to the EHCP or to the funding arrangements for the child.

When should a child be removed from the SEN register?

The SENCo, class teacher and parents of a child may decide to remove a child from the SEND register (during a termly SEN review). The child’s thoughts about the help they need to be able to progress at the Academy will also be considered. Their rate of progress should have improved and the attainment gap between the child and their peers should have reduced (compared to when they were added to the SEN register). Everyone must be confident that normal class provision and interventions will be enough support for them to continue to make progress and fulfil their potential.

External Agency Support

The SENCo liaises frequently with a number of other outside agencies, for example:

• Educational Psychologists visit the Academy regularly (according to timetable and allocation), following discussion with the SENCo as to the purpose of each visit.  
• Teachers from the Sensory Impairment Team work in the Academy to support children, both with and without EHCPs, who have vision or hearing impairment. The specialist teachers work directly with children where this is indicated on an EHCP. Class teachers plan alongside these specialist teachers who also attend and contribute to Individual Support Plan reviews.
• School Nurse
• Community Paediatrician
• Speech Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Occupational Therapy

Parents/carers are always informed if any outside agency is involved.

Support for children moving between phases of education

Co-op Academy Broadhurst supports all children, through periods of transition so as to minimise the anxiety about moving into a new situation. From Early Years settings into school, from one school to another, and from one year group to the next

This support for transition is especially important for children with SEND and the academy offers a range of additional support for these children and their families, such as;

• Additional visits to the new school or class,
• A Pupil Passport/One Page Profile to help the new teacher/s to understand the child’s needs
• A ‘buddy group’ of other children to support the child with SEND through the transition
• Photographs or a video of the new school, etc.

In addition to supporting children through the phases of education within the school environment, another major focus for all schools is to prepare all children with SEND for adulthood by helping them to develop the independence skills they will need to join in and access all the future opportunities of work, independent living and social life.  The SEND Code of Practice (2014) expects this preparation to begin from the earliest years. At Co-op Academy Broadhurst we develop the skills of reading and writing in addition to social and communication skills and practical skills, such as crossing the road safely and using IT. In addition we are currently developing our provision in Careers related learning to encourage all children, including those with SEND to have high expectations for their future prospects.

Partnerships with parents/carers

Staff and parents/carers will work together to support pupils identified as having additional needs and parents/carers will be involved at all stages of the education planning process. An appointment will be made by the class teacher to meet all parents/carers whose children are being recorded as having additional needs. The SENCo will attend this meeting if the Academy or the parents think this is appropriate. We make sure that all parents/carers are given information about or signposted to supportive groups.

At review meetings with parents/carers we try to always make sure that the child’s strengths as well as areas for improvement are discussed. Where we make suggestions as to how parents/carers can help at home, these are specific and achievable, and that all parents/carers go away from the meeting clear about the action to be taken and the way in which outcomes will be monitored and reviewed.

Individual Support Plan (ISP) targets will include targets to work towards at home, and parents/carers are always invited to contribute their views to the review process. All ISPs and reviews will be copied and sent to parents/carers after meetings.

Ideas and materials for supporting learning at home will be discussed with parents/carers and distributed on request.

Parental consultation meetings provide regular opportunities to discuss concerns and progress.  Parents/carers are able to make other appointments on request. This regular communication between Academy and home will ensure that concerns are promptly acted on.  

Where this has not happened, however, parents/carers are able to make a complaint by contacting the Headteacher. Our complaints procedure, available from the Academy office or our website, sets out the steps in making a complaint in more detail.

Links with Other Academies

Foundation Stage staff and SENCo will meet with staff from partner nursery schools/provision prior to pupils starting Academy. Concerns about particular needs will be brought to the attention of the SENCo after this meeting. Where necessary the SENCo will arrange a further meeting.

Class teachers of children joining from other schools will receive information from the previous school; if there is a SEND issue the SENCo will telephone to further discuss the child’s need. If children transfer from Co-op Academy Broadhurst Academy to a new school, then the SENCo will discuss these children with other schools on request.

Children with additional educational needs are considered for admission to the Academy on exactly the same basis as for children without additional educational needs.  Admission to reception for all children is on a reduced timetable for the first two weeks. These arrangements are flexible to cater for individual needs as is admission to Nursery.

Prior to starting the Academy, parents/carers of children with an EHCP or EHCP pending will be invited to discuss the provision that can be made to meet their child’s identified needs.

Evaluating the success of the Academy’s SEND Policy 

Every year, we analyse the data we have on the percentage of our pupils with very low attainment at the end of their key stage, compared to the percentage in similar schools. We also analyse data on behaviour including major behaviour incidents and exclusions (including lunchtime exclusions). We use this analysis to help us plan our provision map. At the same time, we set new targets for the year ahead, aiming for:

• A reduction in the percentage of children with very low attainment.
• An increase in the percentage of children recorded as having special educational needs attaining Age Related Expectations (ARE) at the end of each Key Stage.
• A reduction in behaviour incidents and exclusions.

We provide information to the Governing Body as to the numbers of pupils receiving special educational provision as well as any pupils for whom a Statutory Assessment has been requested. The SENCo will meet with the SEN Governor to discuss Inclusion and current SEND concerns. The SEND Governor will lead Governor monitoring of the SEND policy through sampling, observations and other procedures to be agreed annually.

Arrangements for SEND In-Service Training

• The SENCo attends regular cluster meetings to update and revise developments in Special Needs Education and Inclusion.
• Meeting additional needs issues are targeted each year through the Academy’s long term goals and the Academy Development Plan. In-Service training and individual professional development is arranged and matched to these targets.
• In-house additional needs and Inclusion training is provided through staff meetings by the SENCo and the specialist SEN TA. 
• All staff have access to professional development opportunities and are able to apply for additional needs or Inclusion training, where a need is identified either at an individual pupil or whole class level.
• Support staff are encouraged to extend their own professional development and the management team will ensure tailor-made training where this is appropriate.

Dealing with complaints

If a parent wishes to complain about the provision or the policy, they should, in the first instance, raise it with the SENCo, who will try to resolve the situation under Stage 1 of the Academy’s Complaints Policy.

If the issue cannot be resolved within 10 working days, the parent can submit a formal complaint to the Headteacher in writing or any other accessible format. The Headteacher will normally respond within 5 working days. Any issues that remain unresolved at this stage will continue to be managed according to the Academy’s Complaints Policy. This is available, on request, from the Academy office or from the Academy’s website. 

Responsibilities

The governors of the academy are responsible for determining the content of the policy and the Headteacher and SENCo for implementation.

The responsible person for SEND are:

Role of the SEND Governor:

Maureen Curley is the SEND governor with specific oversight of the Academy’s arrangements for SEN and disability. She meets regularly with the SENCo and is responsible for reporting to the full governing body on all issues regarding SEND.

Role of the Head Teacher:

Jan Gough is the Headteacher manages and oversees the SENCo. She liaises with parents and carers when necessary and ensures governors are up to date and fully informed.

Role of the SENCO:

The SENCo is responsible for reporting to the SEND governor on the day-to-day management of SEND policy. Key responsibilities include:

• overseeing the day-day operation of SEND policy
• coordinating provision for children with SEN and disabilities
• liaising with and advising teachers
• managing learning support assistants
• ensuring the Academy keeps the records of all pupils with SEND up to date
• liaising with parents of children with SEND (in conjunction with appropriate staff)
• contributing to the training of staff
• liaising with external agencies and next providers of education
• allocating delegated budget to the benefit of pupils with additional needs (including staffing provision)

Role of the Teacher:

Teachers are both responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all pupils in their class, including those pupils who access support from teaching assistants or specialist staff. Where support staff work with pupils with SEND, the teacher has overall responsibility for those pupils and must ensure that they make appropriate progress.

Role of the Teaching Assistants:

Our team of experienced staff provide support to pupils so that they can access learning. They also lead intervention programmes and complete intervention analysis to monitor progress. They are responsible for discussing pupil progress with class teachers and the SENCo.

How is information stored and managed? 

Information about a child’s SEND is kept up to date and in an individual file, in chronological order. This may include information from Academy (e.g. IEPs), from parents (e.g. letters) or outside agencies (e.g. EP and SALT reports, letters from the paediatrician). Files are kept locked in a cupboard. ISPs and specific educational information is shared with teachers (e.g. EP and SALT reports, behaviour plans etc) so that they are kept informed about the child’s needs. The Academy manages data in line with the requirements of the GDPR.

Manchester Local Authority’s Local Offer

You will find Manchester’s Local Offer here:

https://hsm.manchester.gov.uk/kb5/manchester/directory/localoffer.page?localofferchannel=0 

Written and Review Date

This policy has been written by the SENCo in discussion with the Headteacher, staff and governors and complies with the statutory requirement laid out in the SEND Code of Practice 0-25 (2015) and has been written with reference to the following guidance and documents:

• Equality Act 2010: advice for Academies (2014)
• SEND Code of Practice 0 – 25 (2015)
• Academy SEN Information Report regulations (2014)
• Statutory guidance on supporting pupils at Academy with medical conditions (2015)
• The National Curriculum in England Key Stage 1 and 2 framework document (2013)
• Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
• Accessibility policy and plan
• Teachers Standards (2013)

Date Policy Formally Approved by Governors: 11/10/23

Review Date(s): October 2024

Links for SEND:

Information, Advice and Support (IAS) Manchester

For free confidential and impartial information, advice and support about any matters relating to Special Educational Needs and Disabilities of children and young people up to the age of 25 years.

Website: https://www.iasmanchester.org/ 

Telephone: 0161 209 8356

Email: parents@manchester.gov.uk 

Statutory Assessment Team

Enquiries about requests for Education, Health and Care Plans including conversions of SEN Statements.

Telephone: 0161 245 7439

Email: sen@manchester.gov.uk 

Home To School Transport Team

Enquiries about home to school transport for children with EHC plans. Please note that telephone enquiries are answered by Environment On Call.

Telephone: 0161 219 6400

Email: hometoschool@manchester.gov.uk 

Specialist Resource Team

Enquiries about short breaks for children and young people with SEND. New referrals for short Breaks. If your child has never been in receipt of a Short Break, you can call our Contact Centre on 0161 234 5001.

Telephone: 0161 219 2125

Email: shortbreaks@manchester.gov.uk 

Engagement Team

For enquiries about promoting or demonstrating the Local Offer, and for information about how to get involved.

Telephone: 0161 234 1946

Email: localoffer@manchester.gov.uk 

Early Help Hub

North: 0161 234 1973

Manchester Local Offer Newsletter

Manchester SEND newsletter 

https://hsm.manchester.gov.uk/kb5/manchester/directory/advice.page?id=uptXtrEL9fg 

Manchester Parent and Carer Forum

Manchester Parent Carer Forum works to represent the ‘voice’ of parents and carers of children and young people aged 0-25 with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

http://manchesterparentcarerforum.org.uk/

The Birches Specialist Support Primary School

The Birches is a 143 place school that supports pupils with diagnosis of ASC, SLD and PMLD. Maintained by Manchester Local Authority, facilities include a hydrotherapy pool, a range of outdoor play areas, a sensory garden, two multisensory rooms and two soft play areas. They hold Parent/Carer Drop-in and Support Sessions every Thursday 10:00-11:30am, organised by Peggy, the school’s Parent Support Advisor.

Website: http://www.thebirchesschool.org/ 

Talbot House

Talbot House supports parents and carers of people who have learning disabilities in Manchester. They are a one stop shop where carers can pop in for a cup of tea and a chat with others in the same boat.

Website: http://www.talbot-house.org.uk/ 

Afasic- A Voice for life

Supporting parents and children to overcome speech and language difficulties:

https://www.afasic.org.uk 

Talking Point 

The first stop for information on children’s communication:

https://ican.org.uk/i-cans-talking-point/ 

Mencap

https://www.mencap.org.uk/homepage 

British Dyslexia Association

https://www.bdadyslexia.org.uk

Appendix 1:

Appendix 2: EYFS Cause for Concern

Appendix 3: Key Stage 1 Cause for Concern

Appendix 4: Key Stage 2 Cause for Concern