Southborough High School is a mainstream boys academy that has a mixed sixth form.

We shape and develop provision for all of our learners ensuring achievement for all. This SEND report declares our annual offer to learners with SEND, but to be effective it needs the views of all parents, learners, governors and staff. To engage with our annual process to ‘assess, plan, do and review’ SEND provision, please contact colleagues below.

• SENDCo / Inclusion Manager

Mr Karl NICHOLAS - inclusion@southborough.kingston.sch.uk

• Headteacher

Mr Niall SMITH – nsmith@southborough.kingston.sch.uk

• Senior Assistant Headteacher

Mr Dan EDWARDS – dedwards@southborough.kingston.sch.uk

• SEND Governor - TBC

What is SEND?

• At different times in their school career, a child or young person may have a special educational need. The Code of Practice 2014 defines SEND as: “A child or young person has SEND 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.”

How does the school know if children need extra help and what should I do if I think my child may have special educational needs?

• Our teachers and learning support assistants are able to identify children who need extra help through monitoring children’s learning and progress. Teachers, Learning Support Assistants and the Special Education Needs and Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCO) meet regularly to discuss the learning needs of children in the school.
• We pride ourselves in working in partnership with parents, collaborating with them and the pupil to plan appropriate provision based on the child’s needs. We will always make time to discuss any concerns. If a parent thinks that their child has special educational needs; they should speak to their child’s form teacher or head of year in the first instance.

How will school staff support my child?

• We are an inclusive school committed to ensuring that all learners have access to learning opportunities. We pride ourselves on how we celebrate and normalise diversity across the school where pupils accept others voluntarily for who they are.
• For children with SEND, we are able to provide interventions that are ‘additional or different from’ our usual differentiated school curriculum.

• Southborough High School is a community school, we can shape and develop provision for all of our learners ensuring achievement for all.
• For children with SEND, our range of interventions include:

NB: This list is not exhaustive and we will add new provisions to meet the needs of our students as and when they arise.

Some more specific information is listed below:

SEMH

• Use our trained Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) to work 1:1 or in group setting as appropriate
• Employ a systemic psychotherapist, to work with identified children and families
• Referral to the Education Wellbeing Practitioner

Access to a supportive environment

• Use of visual timetables as required
• Pre-teaching of strategies/vocabulary
• Access to iPads and appropriate Apps
• Personalised timetables and planning as required
• Scaffolded support to ensure inclusion in whole school events e.g Collective
• Worship, Celebration Assembly

Speech & Language

• Interventions from the Speech & Language Therapy Service – referral required
• Implementation of their programmes by a trained teaching assistant
• Use of interventions such as: Oral to Narrative programme or Colourful Semantics
• Symbols/pictures to support understanding – using Widgit

Mentoring activities

• Peer mentoring

Occupational Therapy & Physiotherapy Needs

• Interventions from an Occupational Therapist/Physiotherapist – referral required
• Implementation of their programmes by a trained Teaching Assistant

Literacy Support

• Small group support in class e.g. guided reading by a teacher or teaching assistant
• Project X Code phonics/reading skills tutoring provided by the teaching assistant as required
• Small group customised interventions delivered as necessary by teaching assistant /class teacher
• Programmes of work tailored to the need of the children with SEND
• Precision Teaching: 1 to 1 sessions for 3 x 10 minutes a week on specific areas of the curriculum that require the development of memory recall eg key words

Mathematics Support

• Small group or intervention customised to the group or individual
• Precision teaching: 1 to 1 sessions for 3 x 10 minutes a week on specific areas of the curriculum that require the development of memory recall eg time tables, number bonds
• TT Rockstars for time tables; My Maths for consolidation

Accessing the Curriculum

• Small group support from a TA/teacher
• 1:1 support in the classroom from a teaching assistant to aid access through support or modified resources
• Specialist equipment as required e.g. pencil grips, move-sit cushion and slant board
• Multi-sensory approach
• Movement breaks

Support during play /lunch times

• Teaching assistants and teachers on duty are aware of children’s needs
• Designated supervision for identified pupils and a programme of structured activities for the child to choose from to develop greater independence at this time
• Opportunities to eat with an adult and develop social skills around eating
• CALM Club

Medical Intervention

• Strategies for the use of personal medication
• Implementation of Health Care Plans
• Provision of aids and resources to support learning
• Individual support plans for pupils with short-time medical needs
• Staff training and deployment as required for medical and health care needs.
• Liaising with parents/carers to provide essential support

Parent/Carer Support

• Liaison with a wide range of professionals as required
• Regular progress meetings with parents/carers
• Support for parents/carers who have concerns
• Explanation of professional reports to parents/carers
• Attendance at meetings relating to SEN children
• Signposting to appropriate outside agencies if needed e.g. Early Help, CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service)
• Liaison with the Senior Teacher regarding mental health and wellbeing concerns
• Parent Workshops
• Suggesting other workshops available for parental and family support
• Educational psychologist (EP) workshops and hubs

How will I know how my child is doing?

• There will be opportunities for parents throughout the school year to explore their child’s progress.
• During Autumn, Spring and Summer terms, parents are invited to meet their child’s the SENDCo or a member of the SEND team to set and review pupils SEND plans following the Assess, Plan, Do, Review cycle. This will be to discuss progress and plan next steps collaboratively, to ensure we maintain a child centred approach.
• Pupils will also collaborate with this process enabling them to have a voice in their learning journey.
• Annually, parents are invited to formal consultations with the subject teachers.

How will the learning and development provision be matched to my child’s needs?

• Monitoring progress is an integral part of teaching and leadership at Southborough High School.
• Parents, children and staff are involved in reviewing the impact of interventions for learners with SEND. We follow the ‘assess, plan, do, review’ model and ensure that parents and children are involved in each step.
• Before any additional provision is selected to help a child, the SENDCO, Teacher, parent and learner, agree what they expect to be different following this intervention. A baseline will also be recorded, which can be used to compare the impact of the provision.
• Children, parents and their teaching and support staff will be directly involved in reviewing progress. This review can be built in to the intervention itself, or it can be a formal meeting held at least once a term, where we all discuss progress and next steps.
• If a learner has an Education Health and Care Plan (EHC plan) the same termly review conversations take place, but the EHC plan will also be formally reviewed annually.
• The SENDCO collates the impact data of interventions, to ensure that we are only using interventions that work. Progress data of all learners is collated by the whole school and monitored by teachers, Senior leaders and governors.

• We are committed to supporting every child’s wellbeing at Southborough High School. We praise all children’s successes and understand progress that may seem slight can be a huge step forward for some.
• We aim for our pupils to become confident and resilient so they can achieve their best. We teach a tailored PSHE scheme which is planned by staff for the pupils in our school to cater for their needs.
• Additionally, we have dedicated mental health leads who provide training for staff and support for pupils.

What specialist services and expertise are available at or accessed by the school?

• We access a range of specialist expertise depending on the child’s individual needs. These include:

• Speech and Language Therapist
• Educational Psychologist
• School Counsellor
• Mental Health Intervention Service
• ELSA Support
• Autism Advisory teacher
• Hearing Impairment team
• Visual Impairment team
• Occupational Therapist
• Family Support

What training have the staff, supporting children and young people with SEND, had or are having?

• Our staff are experienced practitioners in the identification of children’s individual learning needs and delivery of intervention programmes and strategies, regularly updating their training.
• Our SENDCO is completing the National Award for SEND coordination which makes our school an accredited SENDCO school.
• Staff training is delivered by the AfC, the SENDCo and specialist services that we work with.
• We are continually seeking to train in new programmes to meet the individual needs of the children in our school.

How will you help me to support my child’s learning?

• Working in partnership with parents on how they can support their child’s learning is integral to the way in which we support a child with SEND.
• For children with SEND, the following strategies are used:

• Personalised strategies based upon the child’s ‘assess, plan, do, review’ model that are adapted as and when needed to ensure that every child makes progress
• Personalised SEND Learning Plans with home and school agreements
• Coffee mornings to network with professionals and other parents.
• The head of year, subject teacher and/or SENDCO will discuss with you your child’s learning needs and will develop your child’s targets with you regularly. We will also suggest ways that you can help your child at home.
• Our school offers a range of workshops or meetings that parents are invited to throughout the year.

How will I be involved in discussions about and planning for my child’s education?

• Parents/ guardians and students will be involved in every step of the provision made for them.
• If a member of staff believes a pupil may have SEND, then parents will be invited to discuss this with the class teacher in the first instance.
• Following this, in agreement with parents, the SENDCO will arrange an observation, evidence or similar and discuss what provisions the school will make with the parents/ guardians and pupils and whether or not a Personalised SEND Learning Plan needs to be in place.
• For students with a SEND Learning Plan or an Education Health Care plan, parents, students and staff will meet regularly to discuss targets and review progress.

• Parents are invited to attend a coffee morning weekly for an informal discussion with members of staff and given the opportunity to celebrate work or accomplishments their children have made.

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

• All learning outside the classroom, including school trips, takes place after a full risk assessments and paperwork is completed by the leading staff.
• They ensure that all activities are fully inclusive and will make adaptations or changes to ensure any additional risks identified for children with additional needs are minimised appropriately.

How accessible is the school environment?

• The school is fully compliant with the Equality Act and reasonable adjustments are made for all children with SEND where necessary.
• Most of the school is accessible to children with physical disability via ramps and we have disabled toilet facilities.
• We have an accessibility plan which sets out further changes we wish to make to the school environment over time to make it even more accessible to those with disabilities and have SEND.
• We ensure that specialised equipment is provided where appropriate for children with SEND and that advice is sought from the appropriate professionals to ensure all children’s health and physical needs are catered for within the school environment.
• The school has staff trained to support children with a range of needs.

Who can I contact for further information?

• The school has a SENDCO who can be contacted by telephone or email (please see details at the top of the page) and is available to meet with parents should any concerns arise. You may feel it is more appropriate to speak with your head of year or subject teacher in the first instance.

How will the school prepare and support my child to join the school, transfer to a new school or the next stage of education and life?

• We recognise that ‘moving on’ can be difficult for a child with SEND/and or disabilities and take steps to ensure that any transition is a smooth as possible.
• If your child is starting at this school: We will first invite you to visit the school with your child to have a look around and speak to staff. If other professionals are involved, a team around the Family (TAF) meeting may be held to discuss your child’s needs, share strategies used, and ensure provision is put in place before your child starts.
• We may suggest adaptations to the setting to help your child to settle more easily but these will be agreed with you in advance.
• If they have not already visited, your child will be invited into school in advance of starting to meet the staff they will be working with and their peer group.
• If your child is moving to another school: We will contact the new school’s SENDCo and ensure s/he knows about any special arrangements or support that need to be made for your child.
• We will make sure that all records about your child are passed on as soon as possible.
• When changing teachers for each subject in school: Information will be passed on to the new class teacher in advance and in all cases, a planning meeting will take place with the new teacher.
• All student SEND learning Plans will be shared with the new teachers.
• Training needs are identified for new staff and courses attended as soon as possible.
• A bespoke transition will be planned for some pupils which takes into account their individual needs.
• When moving to a college or another sixth form placement: The SENDCO will meet to discuss the specific needs of your child with the SENDCo of the new provision.

• The school budget, received from AfC Kingston, includes money for supporting children with SEND.
• The Head Teacher decides on the budget for Special Educational Needs in consultation with the school governors, on the basis of the needs of the children currently in the school.
• The Head Teacher and the SENDCO discuss all the information they have about SEND in the school, including:

• the children receiving extra support already;
• the children needing extra support;
• the children who have been identified as not making as much progress as would be expected; and decide what resources/training and support is needed.

• The level of support is dependent on the type and degree of need additional to and different from peers in the class.
• Support may be given in a variety of ways and is sometimes designed to encourage the child to develop the skills of independent learning and build confidence as well as supporting their maximum progress; your child’s individual support will be discussed with you regularly.
• All resources/training and support are reviewed regularly and changes made as needed.

How is the decision made about how much support my child will receive?

• The amount and type of support offered to a child is determined by a detailed analysis of a child’s needs, barriers to learning, stage of development, parental views, their own views and consultation with the class teacher and SENDCO.
• The progress made and support given is reviewed regularly with the SENDCO.
• Interventions typically last between one and two terms with the emphasis on early identification.
• Parents are regularly involved in the decision making process.

What is an education, health and care plan and who can request one?

• If your child has been identified as needing a particularly high level of individual support which cannot be provided from the school’s allocated SEND budget then we or you may ask the local authority to make a statutory assessment of your child’s needs. The local authority will gather evidence from a wide range of professionals and from you. They will decide whether to write an EHCP for your child. This process takes approximately 20 weeks.
• An EHCP outlines the specialist provision that is required to help your child make progress and to secure positive outcomes for them across health, education and social care. An EHCP may be drawn up where a child has long term needs arising from a major difficulty or disability.
• An EHCP will include:

• A full description of your child’s special educational needs and/or disability
• Your child’s views and the views of your family
• The outcomes identified for your child by the end of the key stage
• The provision required that will ensure your child achieves their outcomes and also
• the way in which education, health and social agencies will work together towards
• the achievement of these outcomes.

What are the arrangements for handling complaints about send?

• We sincerely hope that we will be able to work successfully with you to meet your child’s additional needs. However, if after consulting with your child’s class teacher, the SENDCo and head teacher you are not satisfied you may wish to follow the complaints procedure which can be found on the school’s website.

How can I find information about the local authority’s Local Offer of services and provision for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities?

• You may wish to look at the AfC Local Offer detailing the borough's wider provision which can be found at:
• The local authority’s local offer is published on https://www.afcinfo.org.uk/local_offer and parents/carers without internet access should make an appointment with the SENDCo for support to gain the information they require.

Glossary

• ADD - Attention deficit disorder
• ADHD - attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
• ASD - autistic spectrum disorder
• BESD - behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
• BST – Behaviour Support Team
• CAF - common assessment framework
• CAMHS - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
• CIN - Child in Need
• CoP - Code of Practice
• CP child protection
• DDA - Disability discrimination act
• EAL - English as an additional language
• EHCP - education health care plan
• EP - Educational Psychologist
• EWO - Educational Welfare Officer
• FSM - Free School Meals
• GLD - Global Learning Delay
• HI - Hearing Impaired
• HLTA - Higher Level Teaching Assistant
• IEP - Individual Education Plan (at Southborough we use SEND Learning Plan)
• LAC - Looked After Children
• LSA – Learning Support Assistant
• MLD - moderate learning difficulty
• ODD - oppositional defiant disorder
• Ofsted – Office of Standards in Education
• OT - occupational therapist
• PDA - pathological demand avoidance
• PEP - personal education plan (for looked after children)
• PLP - Personal learning plan
• PMLD - profound and multiple learning difficulties
• PP - pupil premium
• PSHE - Personal, social and health education