SEND

Person responsible – Class Teacher, SENDCo

Make an appointment to speak to your child’s class teacher, either in person or over the phone
Or you can speak to the class teacher at the next parent’s evening.

If appropriate, the class teacher may refer you to the school SENCo who has responsibility for providing guidance in the area of SEND in order to secure high quality teaching and effective use of resources.

The school phone number is: 01329 231641

The school email address is: office@camshill.com

People Responsible – Learning Support Assistants, Class Teachers, SENDCo 

According to the 2015 SEND Code of practice:
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:
(a) have a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age; or

(b) 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

At Cams Hill School, children are identified as potentially experiencing SEND through the following:

• liaison with primary/previous school
• if the child has a physical or learning impairment that prevents them from accessing the National Curriculum without significant additional support
• if a child requires the support of an outside agency to support them with a specific learning difficulty or physical disability whole year screening assessments for reading and spelling
• Computer screening software (Lucid EXACT, LASS 11-15, etc.)
• if a child is making significantly less progress than expected despite the appropriate support being provided
• if concerns are raised by a parent
• if concerns are raised by a teacher for example behaviour or self-esteem is affecting their performance

People responsible: Key Stage Teams, SENCO, Intervention Manager, Attendance and Medical Team

At Cams Hill School our Inclusion/Pastoral Support team is made up of the heads of Year and their teams (teaching and non-teaching staff), the Intervention manager, the Attendance and Medical team and the SENCo and the Learning Support team. The whole team work closely to support pupils, and a member of the Senior Leadership Team has oversight of the whole system.
Pupils may need this additional support for a variety of reasons such as social and emotional difficulties, long term illness or family trauma. The school can make referrals to The Family Support Service, who can then look at the most appropriate support available.

If your child has a special educational need their name will be placed on the school SEND Register. The school will communicate with the parent/carer to officially register the student on the SEND register.

The school SEND Register is updated regularly and is available to all appropriate staff.

If your child has complex SEND they may have a Special Educational Needs Support Agreement (SENSA), or have an Education and Health Care (EHC) Plan. Strategies employed to enable the student to progress will be recorded within a Pupil Learning Profile (PLP) which will include long term objectives, teaching strategies, provision/resources, review and evaluation. This is reviewed on a termly basis and parents/carers are given a copy of the PLP. A small number of pupils may require an Individual Education Plan (IEP), which will also include short term SMART targets.

For pupils with literacy difficulties receiving intervention, progress is assessed three times a year.

We believe that successful implementation of this SEND provision will ensure:
• early identification of children with special educational needs
• appropriate support for any child with a special educational need
• children with SEND are included in all areas of school life
• some children with SEND will improve sufficiently to be removed from the SEND register
• children with significant SEND will receive appropriate support from the LEA and other outside agencies
• there will be support and information for the parents of children with SEND
• our tracking and assessment procedures will be used efficiently to monitor and measure the progress of SEND children.

• The SENCo reports to the Governors annually to inform them about the progress of children with SEND; this report does not refer to individual children and confidentiality is maintained at all times.

• The Governing Body has identified a governor to have oversight of special educational needs provision at Cams Hill and to ensure that the full governing body is kept informed of how the school is meeting the statutory requirements.

People Responsible – Class Teachers, Key Stage Managers, School Leadership Team

As a school we measure children’s progress in learning in terms of Trajectories linked to their expected progress towards GCSE grades, and, to an extent, age related expectations. The class teacher continually assesses each child and notes areas where they are improving and where further support is needed. As a school we track and monitor children’s progress using a variety of different methods including trajectories linked to their expected progress towards GCSE grades, performance in mock exams and reading and spelling ages.

Class teachers, subject leaders, Heads of Year and members of the Senior Leadership Team meet regularly to discuss pupil progress. Children who are not making expected progress are picked up through regular review meetings with the subject Heads of Departments, the SENCo and the Senior Leadership Team. The school also has Impact Coaches who will work directly with identified individuals. They will all meet to discuss potential barriers to learning and what further support can be given to aid pupil progression.

We believe that your child’s education should be a partnership between parents and teachers, therefore we aim to keep communication channels open and communicate regularly, especially if your child has complex needs.

We offer an open door policy where you are welcome, any time, to make an appointment to meet with either the class teacher or SENCo and discuss how your child is getting on. We can offer advice and practical ways that you can help your child at home. If your child is added to the SEND register, they will be given an IEP (Individual Education Plan) or a Pupil Learning Profile (PLP) and a copy will be sent to parents.

If you have a child with complex SEND (who has an Education Health and Care Plan) a formal review with parent(s), the SENCo, relevant school staff and any outside agencies will take place once a year to review the child’s EHC Plan.

Your child will be given a pupil planner which they will bring home regularly. This can also be used to share comments from parents and teacher that can be responded to when needed.

Class teachers and the SENCo can offer advice and practical ways that you can help your child at home. Your child will be given regular homework through the school year that is designed to support the work they are doing in school. If you need help in supporting your child with their homework, please contact your child’s class teacher. Your child will also be given access to the school library. Through Class Charts, parents, pupils and teachers are all able to monitor pupils’ daily performance and behaviour in school. All teachers will also use Class Charts to record pupils’ homework and upload resources, making it much easier for parents to support their child with his or her learning at home.

We will:
• provide full access to the curriculum (except where disapplication arising from an EHC Plan occurs) through differentiated planning.
• provide specific input, matched to individual need, in addition to differentiated classroom provision, for those pupils on the SEND register.
• report to and involve the child’s parents regularly in the learning or behaviour changes that the child has undertaken.
• give the children the right to have their opinion taken into account in any matter affecting them.
• seek specialist advise from outside agencies to support the learning needs of the children.

All subject teachers are responsible for ensuring that the student receives relevant support and that individualised teaching and learning strategies are implemented. Differentiation is planned for, at an appropriate level, so that all children are able to access the curriculum according to their specific needs.
The first response to pupils encountering difficulties should be high quality teaching targeted at their areas of weakness. Where progress continues to be less than expected the class or subject teacher, working with the SENCo, should assess whether the child has SEN.

We provide effective opportunities for all children using, as a basis the National Curriculum. In our planning and teaching at Cams Hill School teachers set suitable targets, respond to pupils’ diverse learning needs and overcome potential barriers to learning for both individuals and groups of children. The SENCo will monitor the differentiated curriculum provided for children with SEND. They will also support class teachers and LSAs with their planning if requested.
Learning objectives are always made explicit but activities may be adapted or planned separately as appropriate.
Subject leaders, in discussion with class teachers, may decide that a pupil would benefit from a programme of intervention outside of the classroom, focusing on reinforcing or extending their learning. Typically, a pupil with SEND will be identified as benefiting from this type of intervention. This may be delivered by an LSA under the guidance of the class teacher or SENCo.

In addition, specialist advisors or outside agencies may provide specific programmes of intervention aimed at pupils with SEND, one-to-one, under the direction of the SENCo. This may mean that a pupil is withdrawn from the curriculum to attend a series of lessons.

Children with SEND will be provided with opportunities to engage in a variety of activities with children who do not have SEND in both curricular and non-curricular activities.

There are a range of additional programmes of support provided at Cams Hill School to meet the needs of pupils with SEND. These interventions may include:
• in-class support from a LSA,
• small group work from with an HLTA or LSA
• small group or individual work from the SENCo or a trained member of the Learning Support team.

The school also has assistive technology that could be made available to pupils encountering difficulties.

People Responsible – Class Teacher, SENCo 

If your child has been identified as having special educational needs, any additional or different types of support will be delivered based on their individual barriers to learning.
At Cams Hill School we adopt the graduated model of assessment and identification specified by the SEN Code of Practice. Information from Primary school and screening assessments for reading and spelling will help to identify the level of intervention best suited to your child.
In some individual cases, a pupil may require a specific programme of one-to-one support. The decision for this type of intervention may be recommended by the SENCo or by members of the Senior Leadership Team at a progress review meeting.

Person responsible – SENDCo

There are a wide range of access arrangements available in order to provide children who qualify with additional support during Key Stage 3 and 4. The SENCo consults teaching staff and uses current records of attainment in order to decide whether a pupil needs to be assessed. The SENCo also uses assessment software to screen pupils who he feels may be entitled to additional support for exams.
If we are seeking access arrangements for formal examinations then a specialist assessor with the relevant APC qualification is brought into the school. The SENCo will then use the results to make a formal application to the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ)
If you feel that your child needs additional support in school exams please speak to the class teacher or the SENCo.

All children are included in all parts of the school curriculum and we aim for all children to be included on school trips and activities. We will provide the necessary support to ensure that this is successful.
A risk assessment is carried out prior to any off site activity to ensure everyone’s health and safety will not be compromised. In the unlikely event that it is considered unsafe for a child to take part in an activity, then alternative activities which will cover the same curriculum areas will be provided in school.

People Responsible – Class Teacher, Tutor, SENDCo, Key Stage Team, ELSA, Intervention Manager

We are an inclusive school; we welcome and celebrate diversity. All staff believe that children having high self-esteem is crucial to a child’s well-being. We have a caring, understanding team looking after your children. Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural Development is embedded across the curriculum.
Each pupil has a tutor that they see once a day at afternoon registration. The tutor is also involved with the pupil and parents in mentoring sessions. The tutors liaise closely with the relevant Head of Year (HOY), SENCo and Parent Pupil Services (PPS). The Learning Support department also employs part-time Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs) who can meet with pupils on a confidential, one-to-one basis to support the social and emotional needs of identified pupils.
If additional support is required the class teacher liaises with the SENCo and the Pastoral Team for advice and support. This may involve working alongside outside agencies such as Health and Social Services, and/or the Behaviour Support Team.

The Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) has the responsibility for providing guidance in the area of SEND. You can contact the school by speaking to a member of the office staff, telephoning or emailing using the details below:
The school phone number is: 01329 231641
The school email address is: office @camshill.com

The SENCo is also available during Parents’ Evenings. You will be asked if you would like to meet with the SENCO when you make an appointment with your child’s class teacher.

Some parts of the school are fully accessible by wheelchair. The school will take account of the needs of pupils and visitors with physical difficulties and sensory impairments in order to support them access the curriculum.

People responsible – Medical Officer, Administrative Staff

The school has a policy regarding the administration and managing of medicines. Parents need to contact the school office if medication is recommended by Health Professionals to be taken during the school day. On a day to day basis there is a Medical Officer on duty who has received training in order to manage medical issues.

If your child has a disability or medical issue that affects their learning and forms part of their special educational need, please contact the SENDCo directly.

We make sure that the staff are well trained to enable them to support children with SEND:
• all teachers at Cams Hill School are degree level professionals who have been awarded Qualified Teacher Status.
• our ELSAs have had specific training in working with emotionally vulnerable pupils
• our LSAs receive training on school INSET days
• the SENCO has the National Award for SENCO accreditation course in accordance with 2015 SEND Code of Practice.
• when we introduce a new programme or intervention, we first make sure that those who will deliver it to children are thoroughly trained. This allows us to be flexible and adapt to the needs of children with SEN that we may not have dealt with before.

Parents are invited to come into school for parent/pupil consultation evenings. In addition, pupils with a Special Educational Needs Support Agreement or EHC Plan will have regular reviews for their child with the SENCO, and through the review of their Individual Education Plan (IEP) or Pupil Learning Profile (PLP). Parents of pupils with SEND are encouraged to see the SENCO at parent consultation evenings or can arrange for a separate meeting. Parents of pupils with SEND who are thinking of sending their child to the school can arrange for a visit and meeting with the SENCO to discuss the needs of their child.

At Cams Hill School we endeavour to include children in making decisions about their education whenever appropriate. For example, pupils with SEND may be invited to discuss their goals and long term aspirations before establishing their next targets. Pupils with an EHC Plan or SENSA are invited to provide their views in advance of formal meetings linked to a review their child’s plan.

We will work with parents to enable difficulties to be addressed by discussions with class teacher, SENCo or Headteacher. If there is no satisfactory conclusion, the matter will be referred, via the school’s complaints procedure, to the Headteacher and the Governors. (See School Complaints Policy).

If a child has significant special needs, we may work with other agencies in order to provide them with the support they require. These agencies include:

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHs)

Hampshire Educational Psychologist

Hampshire Specialist Teacher Advisory Teams

Occupational Therapy

Physiotherapy

Speech and Language Therapy

Social Services

Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service (SENDIA)  provides impartial advice, information and support to parents and carers of children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) throughout Hampshire.
• They can be contacted on 0808 1645504
• You can see their website at: www.hampshiresendias.co.uk
You can email them at: info@hampshiresendias.co.uk

We recognise that ‘moving on’ can be difficult for a child with SEN/and or disabilities and take steps to ensure that any transition is as smooth as possible. If your child is joining Cams Hill School or moving to another school/college:

• we will contact the new school’s SENCo and ensure he/she knows about any special arrangements or support that needs to be made for your child.
• we will make sure that all records about your child are passed on as soon as possible.
• for some pupils identified as having SEND it may be appropriate to offer additional opportunities to visit the school or college in preparation for transfer in order to assist with the acclimatisation of the new surroundings and meet some of the key members of support staff.

When moving classes in school:

information will be passed on to the new class teacher in advance and where appropriate, a planning meeting will take place with the new teacher. All PLPs will be shared with the new teacher.

https://fish.hants.gov.uk/kb5/hampshire/directory/localoffer.page

Your first point of contact will be our SENCo – contact our school office to arrange a meeting.

Look at the SEND Policy on our school website.

Contact Support4SEND at:  enquiries.support4send@hants.gov.uk