Bulmershe School

Students’ needs are identified and determined through:

• the liaison of the SENCo (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator) and the Head of Year with feeder schools in the summer term prior to transfer.
• a ‘Vulnerable Students Transition Programme’, run by the school in consultation with primary feeder schools.
• the analysis of assessment data from feeder schools e.g. KS2 attainment data, Teacher assessments, attainments in literacy and numeracy, EHC Plans, Provision Plans, and reports from professionals.
• baseline screening tests carried out during the first half term and then repeated at intervals to enable monitoring and review. Tests include STAR reading, Young Parallel spelling, CATs, WRAT testing for specified identified students.
• a teacher or LSA expressing a concern, and then implementing a cycle of 'Assess, Plan, Do and Review'.
• referral to a specialist outside agency if appropriate.
• a parent raising a concern e.g. at SEN Drop-in.
• a student raising a concern themself.

Contact the SENCo, either at Drop-in (dates published on the school’s website) or by phoning the school and asking to speak to the SENCo.

The Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) will oversee and plan the support for children identified as having SEND. The current SENCo is Frances Childs.

The SENCo is responsible for:

• Co-ordinating provision for students with SEND -this includes implementing provisions identified in EHC plans, preparing EHCP applications where appropriate
• Managing the Learning Support Team
• Liaising with and advising fellow teachers
• Compiling the Inclusion Register and overseeing the records of students with SEND
• Liaising with parents of students with SEND
• Contributing to the in-service training of staff
• Liaising with external agencies for example Education psychologist, local authority SEN officers
• Liaising with the school’s designated Governor for Inclusion.
• Coordiating with external specialists such as Art therapists and CAMHs.

The school values and listens to the views of parents, recognizing that parents know their child best. The school seeks to build positive, close relationships with the parents of students with SEND. This is achieved in the following ways:

• Parents are invited to school prior to their child’s transfer where they have the opportunity to meet the SENCo and share information.
• The SENCo will attend transition meetings at the invitation of the primary school to meet parents, listen to their views, answer their questions and to describe the provision that can be made.
• Parents are informed in meetings or by letter or emails if their child is placed on the Inclusion Register.
• Monthly ‘Drop-in sessions’ are held in the Learning Support Department, for parents wishing to discuss their child’s special needs and review progress. The sessions are informal and no appointments are necessary. Dates are published on the school’s website. Handouts and practical advice about supporting children with SEND are made available.
• Parents of students with EHC Plans are invited to attend Annual Review meetings which are person centred and are encouraged (and helped if appropriate) to make a written contribution so that their views are recorded. Parents and students contribute to agreeing outcomes and describing progress towards meeting them.
• Parental advice is always sought before requesting involvement by an outside agency. When appropriate, school and parents may complete a referral together to request support.
• Parents are invited to attend annual parents’ meetings to discuss progress with their child’s subject teachers. The SENCo is available to review provision and progress with parents and the student, and also to listen to parents who may have concerns.
• More informally, the school has an ‘open door’ policy which means parents are encouraged to telephone the school as and when problems arise. Meetings with the appropriate member of staff may then be arranged, if problems cannot be resolved over the phone.

• All students are encouraged to work as independently as possible and to take responsibility for their learning, behaviour and progress in keeping with their age and ability.
• Students are supported by a number of Learning Support Assistants during the week so there is no reliance on one adult.
• Whenever possible, Learning Support Assistants will move around the class and be seen helping several students in order to encourage independence and enable students with SEND to have the same opportunity for social interaction as their peers.
• Teachers are encouraged to differentiate the learning tasks so that all students are enabled to access learning at a pace and level appropriate to them.
• LSA’s support with ensuring that all students are clear about learning tasks and success criteria
• LSA’s and teachers work together to ensure that students are supported to access learning independently and with confidence.

• At KS3, a common curriculum is delivered to all students including those with SEND. All departments are responsible for developing courses and resources to meet students’ SEND and all teachers are responsible for differentiation within their lessons. The Learning Support Department is able to advise.
• At KS3 some students benefit form additional support in literacy and numeracy. This support is delivered 1-1 or in small groups.
• At KS4, students with SEND are able to choose courses in the same way as students without SEND. Students with SEND are given advice and guidance so they can choose courses most suited to their strengths and interests. Alternative accreditation is available in some subject areas. Life skills and study skills sessions with additional support in core subjects enhance the curriculum for those students who would benefit from a high level of support and who would be unable to cope with a full number of GCSE courses.
• In some cases students benefit from attending college courses or other alternative providers of education where skills are enhanced and in some instances qualification obtained prior to or alongside GCSEs.
• The school sets for English, Mathematics, Science where setting is felt to be the most appropriate way of meeting needs. Whenever possible, the lower sets provide an enhanced teacher student ratio.

The school currently has students with a wide range of SEND including sensory impairments, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Specific Learning Difficulties, Moderate Learning Difficulties and Social and Emotional Difficulties. Teaching strategies are adapted according to need and include:

• 'Quality First Teaching' with differentiation of resources, tasks and teaching.
• Varied tasks encouraging learning through auditory, visual and kinaesthetic means, extra time for some students who take longer to process.
• Seating plans refelcting advice in the Inclusion Register regarding best outcomes for students.
• A whole school behaviour management policy which ensures expectations and rules are applied and reinforced with rewards and sanctions. 
• Use of IT when possible, with whole school access to Texthelp (enhanced spellchecker and word prediction software), a computer programme that enables students to read more accurately.
• All staff have immediate access to support and advice strategies for identified students on the SEN register. This is managed and accessed electronically.
• Support and advice strategies to help students achieve and learn are regularly updated and the teachers are able to easily access this information.

The school funds:

• The SENCo (also the Head of the Learning Support Department)
• A teacher specialist in multi-sensory teaching who works with students in mathematics and literacy.
• Learning Support Assistants (sometimes referred to as Teaching Assistants)
• Inclusion Team Assistants, one of whom is responsible for First Aid and oversees the day to day management of medication in school.
• A SEND administrative assistant.A facilitator who specialises in the provision and implementation of speech and language programmes as advised by speech and language therapist.
• Alternative provisions/vocational qualifications and pathways e.g.childcare

The Learning Support Department has its own base The Oasis Centre, within Martin House which is suitably arranged to facilitate small group teaching and provides a nurturing environment. Students with SEND have ‘open door’ access to the centre and staff out of lesson time. The Oasis Centre is well equipped with computers and audio visual equipment.

When appropriate, resources for students with SEND include:

• Enlargement of text e.g. text books, worksheets, exam papers.
• A small library of easy and graded readers.
• A small number of Neo laptops for use in classes.
• A small number of reading pens for use in classes and exams
• 2 LSAs with specific responsibility for liaising with teachers from the Sensory Consortium, Speech and Language Therapists, and Occupational Therapists. They have responsibility for disseminating information to classroom teachers and parents.

• The school screens all students’ SEND and literacy skills and compiles a list of students entitled to a range of access arrangements eg. extra time, reader, scribe.
• In year 9 application for access arrangements is made to the examination boards when appropriate. The school adheres to the regulations set by JCQ.Access arrangements are monitored, applied for and managed by the specialist SEN Teacher who holds the appropriate qualification.

Students’ progress is monitored and their needs reviewed by:

• Setting targets for all students based on their prior attainment. These are sent home at the start of each school year.
• Regular class teacher tracking of progress towards these targets. Tracking sheets are sent home to parents.
• Regular review and updating of the Inclusion Register.

Parents and carers are involved by:

• Having a doddle account linked to their child's account to support with homework.
• Attending monthly Drop-in to discuss their child’s progress (dates on the school’s website)
• Attending Annual Review meetings for students with EHC Plans, and completing the parent form to share their views with the Local Authority.
• Attending Pastoral Support Plan meetings to plan and review support for their child.
• Attending Personal Education Plan meetings in the case of Looked After Children.
• Attending parents’ evenings and information sharing events.
• Access to SENCO via email or phone (information on the school website)
• Checking communications from the school via the SIMS app and email.

• All students have targets set based on their KS2 results as this is the way that the government makes judgements about student progress. Parents will see these targets and their child’s progress towards them on the tracking grade sheets.
• Longer term outcomes and short term SMART targets are set at meetings to draw up and review EHC Plans, Pastoral Support Plans, Personal Education Plans and Provision Plans. The contribution made by parents, carers and their child is crucial.

• Each month there is a Drop-in session where parents can come with or without their child to discuss progress with the SENCo.
• Parents are welcome to telephone or email staff about any specific concerns they may have.

• All students have a planner. This is used for 2 way communication.
• Monthly Drop-in sessions.
• The SENCo is available to take telephone calls in order to sort out urgent issues at the start of each day.
• Parents and class teachers often communicate by telephone and email. 
• SIMS application.

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• During the Summer term students who have been receiving support are invited to complete a questionnaire about the help they have had, and what help they think they still need for the following year.
• Students with EHC Plans or students with Pastoral Support Plans and Personal Education Plans are encouraged to attend their meetings and to participate in keeping with their age and ability.
• Students have frequent 1-1 discussions with Learning Support staff. They complete an "About Me" report in preparation for their Annual Reviews, and are helped to do so as needed.
• Mentoring staff. Involve children in discussions about the best way they feel they can be supported. Oasis is open from 8:15 am for Meet and Greet. Young people are supported and listened to during this time. Oasis staff are available for advice, guidance and to listen to the views of young people.

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• The overall effectiveness of SEND provision is reviewed annually when the School Governors review the SEN policy.
• The SENCo monitors the progress of students with SEND during each whole school tracking cycle.
• The learning outcomes for students with SEND are reviewed at all Annual Reviews for students with EHC Plans and also at Pastoral Support Plan meetings and Personal Education Plans.
• Parents and carers of students with SEND are invited to comment on the effectiveness of the provision as part of the Annual Review process, and also by questionnaire at parents’ evenings.

The following interventions are provided when appropriate, subject to resources and according to level of need:

The whole school Enrichment Curriculum (personal, social, emotional and physical health education; the spiritual, moral, social and cultural curriculum.

One to one

• Daily Meet and Greet 
• Social Communication / social skills programme
• Mentoring and intensive behaviour monitoring
• Art Therapy
• Canine assisted emotional support 

Small group

• Break and Lunch time Club 
• Daily Meet and Greet 
• Social Communication / social skills programme
• Friendship group 
• Life skills work at KS4

The following interventions are provided when appropriate, subject to resources and according to level of need:

• Whole school classroom behaviour policy which provides consistent rules, expectations, rewards and sanctions.
• Bespoke visual prompts, cue cards and self monitoring

One to one 

• Emotional regulation work in the Ivory Centre
• Mentoring and intensive behaviour monitoring 
• Personalised reward systems linked to weekly target setting and reviews
• Pastoral Support Plan
• Time out with designated place and support to calm 
• Inclusion Team Assistants - The Ivory Centre in Martin House.
• Therapeutic counselling sessions where need identified- part of Ivory Centre

Small group

• Break and Lunch time
• Emotional regulation work in The Ivory Centre
• "Making Better Choices" groups
• Inclusion Team Assistants - The Ivory Centre in Martin House

The school has a First Aider and there is a medical suite with disabled toileting facilities.

• Liaison with The Inclusion Team Assistant in charge of First Aid.
• Students with known medical needs have individual care plans as appropriate.

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The school values the support from outside agencies and makes regular use of support from:

• Educational Psychology Service
• Sensory Consortium for students with visual or hearing impairments
• Speech and Language Therapy Service
• Early Help e.g. family workers, targeted youth work
• SENDIAS (independent parent support)
• Health Service eg. CAMHS, Occupational Therapy
• Educational Welfare Service
• Counselling services e.g. ‘ARC’
• Youth Offending Service
• School liaison police officer.
• ASSIST (support for students and families with ASD.)
• Children’s Social Care Services.

In School:

• Art Therapist
• Canine Assisted literacy
• Canine Assisted emotional support
• High level learning support assistants delivering:
  • Speech and Language programmes
  • OT programmes
  • Intensive literacy and numeracy intervention
  • Social communication skills intervention

Contact the SENCo by telephone or at Drop-in or contact the Ivory Inclusion Team.

• The services determine the level and frequency of the support they will provide to the school for individual students.
• The Speech and Language Therapy Service may issue a programme to be followed at home or at school. An LSA with special responsibility for speech and language therapy will liaise with the service and implement the programme issued to school, either 1-1 or in a small group as appropriate.
• The programmes issued by Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy Services are usually designed to be integrated in to the curriculum. The SENCo shares the programme and guidance with the student’s class teachers, and activities/exercises are built in to 'Tune Up' a small group session delivered by an LSA with responsibility for physical needs.

• Contact the SENCo.
• Contact your GP.

• The school takes very seriously its responsibility for safeguarding and has very clear whole school systems in place, co-ordinated by a designated Safeguarding lead. The school will not hesitate to contact Children’s Social Care if it has any concerns about the safety or well being of a student.
• The school liaises with Children’s Social Care services by attending Personal Education Plan meetings, Child in Need and Team Around the Child meetings, and by working together to ensure individual students and their families have the care and support needed.

All teaching staff are supported to develop their skills and knowledge of special educational needs. Training opportunities include:

• Professional development courses run by specialist providers.
• Courses run by the LA.
• In school sessions led by specialists from outside agencies e.g. Educational Psychology Service, the Sensory Consortium, Speech and Language Therapy Service.
• Input by the Support Department to the school's CPD programme, and to teacher training programmes.
• Individual guidance and support from the SENCo.

All members of the Support Department are supported to develop their skills and knowledge of special educational needs. Training opportunities include:

• Courses run by the LA
• Workshops run by outside professionals eg Occupational therapy, Educational Psychology.
• Evening workshops run by charities eg. Autism Berkshire, Dyslexia Action
• Departmental training sessions led by the SENCo - includes training in delivering small group literacy support/ small group numeracy support alongside specific strategies for supporting students with SEN/SEMH/ ASD/ ADHD
• An induction programme for all new LSAs which incorporates opportunities to shadow experienced LSAs in the classroom.

• The SENCo holds the Post Graduate Certificate SENCO qualification PGCert SENCO.
• A literacy teacher holds the necessary qualifications to assess for exam access arrangements.

• All LSAs have completed some training in ASD and most have completed Autism Awareness Level 1 Training.
• An LSA has accreditation in teaching Multi-sensory Numeracy.
• All staff have completed the following safeguarding qualifications:
  • Child protection
  • Safeguarding young people
  • The Prevent duty

• Students with SEND are invited to attend trips and activities the same as students without SEND.
• Risk assessments are carried out, and when appropriate, LSAs who know the student with SEND, attend and support as required.
• When appropriate, extra planning meetings are held with parents eg. to discuss administering medication.
• When appropriate, LSAs may provide initial support to help a student access their work experience placement.

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• The Oasis Centre has an entrance fully accessible by wheelchair.
• The new building has a lift but large parts of the school are not accessible to wheel chair users, because of the school’s original building design. The school is working towards increasing accessibility, with the support of the LA.

• The school has discrete classrooms rather than open plan areas.
• All classrooms have blinds which help to reduce glare.
• Most classrooms have Interactive Whiteboards which allow text to be enlarged or made bolder.
• The school works closely with Berkshire Sensory Consortium and a specialised teacher of the Deaf visits the school and students on a regular basis to provide on-going support to students and training for staff.

There are disabled toilet facilities in the PE changing rooms and in the main school building.

New buildings have ramps but large parts of the school are not accessible to wheel chair users, because of the school’s original building design. The school is working towards increasing accessibility, with the support of the LA e.g. the school canteen is now on one level and accessible by wheelchair.

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• Parents of children with SEND in years 5 and 6 are welcome visit the school and meet with the SENCo. This is a good opportunity to share information about the child’s strengths and difficulties and to gain an understanding of likely provision. The same is true for parents of older students joining the school at a later stage.
• The SENCo will attend transition meetings or Annual Review meetings prior to transition at the invitation of the feeder school, to meet parents, listen to their views and to describe the provision that can be made.
• During the Summer term, the Support Department runs a transition programme for students with SEND in year 6. Places are requested by the feeder primary schools. The programme comprises 3 visits in a small group with activities delivered by the SENCo. The intended outcome is that each child will feel familiar with the Support Department and some of the support staff, so that it feels like a ‘home base.’ The child will have an understanding of the routines of the school day, and will leave with a booklet of ‘what do I do if...?’Sometimes friendships are formed and parents also make contact with each other. All students increase their self confidence.
• Children with SEND also join in the transition visits arranged for all year 6 students. We provide LSA support according to need and the availability of resources.
• Having liaised with parents, and the feeder school, the SENCo compiles the Inclusion Register and student profile sheets so that all of the child’s teachers are aware of their strengths and difficulties before they start school.
• Parents of all Year 6 students planning to transfer to the school are invited to a meeting in June with their child. The SENCo is available.
• Parents and students are invited to complete questionnaires about their children's strengths and needs, and this information is used to prepare a 'Student Profile' which is shared with their teachers.
• All teachers have immediate and easy access to advice and support sheets for pupils with SEN prepared by the learning support and inclusion departments. These are available through electronic means.

• Students with SEND moving to the next Key stage are given lots of advice and guidance to enable them to make choices which build on their strengths. The SENCo will meet with them, and also with their parents at options evenings.
• During the summer term, students who have been supported are helped to complete a questionnaire which enables them to identify the help they need, and what form they would like it to take.

Should a student with SEND transfer to another school, The Bulmershe School will help the child to prepare for transition by:

• Encouraging and facilitating visits for your child to the new school.
• Helping your child to leave the school feeling proud and positive about the move. This may involve making a scrap book, saying farewells, taking photographs, giving cards etc.

Should a student with SEND transfer to another school, The Bulmershe School will:

• Ensure that the student’s file including the special educational needs information is sent to the new school.
• Respond to any particular requests from the new school for information and advice in order to facilitate a smooth transition.
• Welcome the new school should they wish to visit your child within the school day.

• The school file, including SEND information e.g. Student Profile.
• Information about provision and progress eg. Provision Plans, professionals’ reports, tracking grades,
• Attendance data
• Data about behaviour
• Safeguarding information if appropriate.

All Year 11 students benefit from careers advice provided as part of the Enrichment Curriculum and also through support from an independent careers advisor. Additional support for students with SEND, when appropriate, includes:

• Life skills support delivered in a small group.
• Supported visits to local colleges.
• Supported work experience. Teachers and LSAs work with providers to ensure that young people are supported in work experience placements. This takes the form of help and advice around work experience placements and visits from school staff, where appropriate in the initial stages of the work experience placement (and in specific cases for as long as necessary.)

Parents concerned about provision for their child’s special educational needs should in the first instance, contact the SENCo, who will arrange to meet the parent to discuss the situation.  The SENCo will liaise with the line manager for more serious concerns.  If the situation is not resolved then the complaint should be put in writing and addressed to the Head teacher.

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11.1: School admission arrangements for children with special educational needs and disabilities

11.2: School Accessibility Plan

11.3: Special Education Needs Policy