Holt School

We want to send our students to leave us prepared for responsible adulthood…contributing positively to their lives and the lives of others ….having Self-confidence, knowing how to build and sustain strong Relationships, having high Aspirations and having Achieved their very best.

We are forward looking and ambitious whilst upholding traditional values through

Excellent teaching
Rich learning opportunities
Consistent and rigorous learning culture
Overall student well-being and development

While they are with us, we will encourage, equip and expect students to be kind, aim high, and work hard.

We want them to leave us having shaped their good character through stoicism, Humility gratitude so that impact positively on their own lives and those of others to make for a better world.

Contact information

Website: Holt School
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Contact Name: Mrs A Kennedy and Mrs K Pearce
Contact Position: Co-Head Teachers
Telephone: 0118 978 0165 0118 978 0165
E-mail: holtschool@holt.wokingham.sch.uk

Location

Name: Holt School
Address: Holt Lane
Wokingham
Berkshire
Postcode: RG41 1EE; View RG41 1EE on a map

Accessing this service

Type of School: Academy
Age Ranges: 11 yrs - 18 yrs

Local Offer - Support available for children and young people with additional needs

Local Offer Description

Local Offer last reviewed 02/02/2024

Identification of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

1.1: How does the school identify children/young people with special educational needs and disabilities?

Transition between the key stages: Discussion with colleagues, parents and external agencies that have previously supported the child
Additional induction opportunities are available to allow further assessments/ screening before the student joins us
Every child in year 7 is screened using Lucid to measure reading comprehension, processing ability, spelling, handwriting and typing ability. Further assessment is carried out using Lucid exact if any areas of concern are identified
Every student has regular academic mentoring; this allows the student to raise their personal concerns and any barriers to their learning
Regular progress reviews by the Head of Year and SENCO; as a result suitable interventions are put into place and reviewed
Regular meeting with parents where actions are set up and reviewed from previous meetings
Referrals to external agencies, for example the educational psychologist, Educational Welfare Officer and secondary behaviour support

1.2: What should I do if I think my child has SEND?

Contact the SENCO or Head of Year
A meeting with the Head of Year and SENCO will be arranged

Support for children with special educational needs

2.1: If my child is identified as having SEND, who will oversee and plan their education programme?

The SENCO

2.2: How will I be informed / consulted about the ways in which my child is being supported?

Parents’ evenings
Regular progress reviews and review meetings.
Annual Reviews if the child has a Education and Healthcare Plan
Students with SEND will have a profile of needs and meetings as needed with parent, the Head of Year and SENCO will be set up to monitor and amend the interventions set out in the profile of needs

2.3: How will the school balance my child's need for support with developing their independence?

Visual timetables
Individual short term targets
Voice recognition software
Support staff in lessons to encourage students to work independentlly
The learning support assistants liaise with teachers to ensure that the appropriate level of support is offered
Quality First Teaching within the classroom
Use of laptops
Smaller class settings for KS3 literacy based subjects
Alternative Curriulum at KS4 for some SEND students

2.4: How will the school match / differentiate the curriculum for my child's needs?

Excellent quality first teaching with differentiation to suit the individual needs
Literacy and numeracy interventions
The ‘Inspire, Challenge, Achieve’ curriculum provides additional, long term literacy support for students who enter the school below age related expectations
Information about the student’s need is attached to each class register indicating the need of students for whom we have specific information
The ASDAN CoPE Level 1/2 course is available during year 10 and 11 for students who are unable to access GCSE options

2.5: What teaching strategies does the school use for children with learning difficulties, including autistic spectrum disorder, hearing impairment, visual impairment, speech and language difficulties?

Each student’s needs are looked at individually to determine the best strategies for them. Strategies include:

Differentiated activities
Time out cards
Radio aids
Visual support including pictures, writing frames or word banks
Visual timetables
Reward systems to recognise effort
ICT support
Small steps with specific achievable objectives
Multi-sensory approach to activities
Nurture/social skills groups
LSA support

2.6: What additional staffing does the school provide from its own budget for children with SEND?

Learning support assistants
A Lead LSA
Literacy and Numeracy Learning Support Specialists
A mental health and well being specialist
Subject specialists to support specific interventions
Counselling
Student support
Learning Support Specialist to support students manage work load and emotional well being

2.7: What specific intervention programmes does the school offer to children with SEND and are these delivered on a one to one basis or in small groups?

Type / Title	Intervention Type
Reading intervention	Small group
Numeracy intervention	Small group
IDL - Dyslexia intervention	One to one
Literacy intervention	Small group

2.8: What resources and equipment does the school provide for children with SEND?

This will vary for each student but we will endeavour to provide resources as each young person with SEND requires. Any resources and equipment that a young person needs will be considered based on recommendations made by specialist services. Currently we have the following resources and equipment in school:

Pencils and pencil grips
Sloping desks
Coloured paper and books when needed
Coloured overlays
Disabled toilet
Ramps and lift access to ensure easy access around the site
Radio aids provided by the Sensory Consortium.
Three classrooms for the exclusive use of the Learning Link Department
Laptops with a variety of software according to need
Ipads

2.9: What special arrangements can be made for my child when taking examinations?

Each case is assessed by the SENCO who has a specialist qualification issued by the British Psychological Society using history of need and history of use of concessions. Testing, using tests which are approved by JCQ regulations.

Reader
Reading Pen
Scribe
Extra time
Exams can be sat either individually or in a smaller group, rather than with the rest of the cohort
Laptops
Prompt
Rest breaks

My child's progress

3.1: How will the school monitor my child's progress and how will I be involved in this?

On-going Teacher Assessments
Standardised tests that give standardised scores and comparative age
Annual parents evening
Progress reviews
Interim review meetings with the SENCO, Head of Year and parents when it is appropriate to review progress in between the scheduled progress reviews and also for parents to give insight into home experiences to ensure support meets the needs of the student

3.2: When my child's progress is being reviewed, how will new targets be set and how will I be involved?

See 3.1
Targets and outcomes are constantly being reviewed and updated based on everyday observations from school staff, as well as advice from outside agencies and parents

3.3: ln addition to the school's normal reporting arrangements, what opportunities will there be for me to discuss my child's progress with school staff?

Annual review meetings
Teachers, Heads of Year and the SENCO are happy to arrange meetings to discuss issues. The first point of call should normally be the SENCO or Head of Year

3.4: What arrangements does the school have for regular home to school contact?

Heads of Year and the SENCO can be contacted by email and they will refer the query to the relevant member of staff if needed
Meetings can be arranged if appropriate to talk about issues in detail

3.5: How can I help support my child's learning?

Ensure that your daughter has an agreed home learning routine at home and follow the guidelines set out by school on the amount of time she should be spending on home learning. This increases as your daughter moves up the year groups.
Provide your daughter with a quiet space to study
Assist with the organisation of her school bag; she will need different equipment every day depending on their lessons
Attend parent information evenings e.g. on study skills, anxiety, making friends
Contact the Head of Year or SENCO when there are issues arising with your daughter’s learning

3.6: Does the school offer any help for parents / carers to enable them to support their child's learning, eg. training or learning events?

Parent information evenings are held throughout the year and cover study skills, parenting teenagers, anxiety, growth mind-set and internet safety.

3.7: How will my child's views be sought about the help they are getting and the progress they are making?

Year 7 students have academic mentoring. Meeting with parents include students to ensure their voice is heard and they are aware of the progress they are making. We follow a person centred approach, with the child very much at the centre.

3.8: What accredited and non accredited courses do you offer for young people with SEND?

Level 1 Edexcel Award in Number and Measure
ASDAN CoPE Level 1/2
Step up to English award
ASdan Short Courses
High Speed Food safety award
Red Cross First Aid

3.9: How does the school assess the overall effectiveness of its SEN provision and how can parents / carers and young people take part in this evaluation?

Monitoring progress via teacher assessments, standardised scores
Feedback from staff and parents
Regular conversations with parents and carers
SENCO completes a department health check every term and it is discussed with line manager
Year group evaluations
LSA evaluations on impact

Support for my child's overall well being

4.1: What support is available to promote the emotional and social development of children with SEND?

Supervised lunch and break clubs
Social skills lessons as part of the ICA curriculum
Dedicated emotional wellbeing learning support specialist
Courses run by external agencies to reduce exam stress
Access to a school nurse
Student support team
Counsellor
A variety of extra-curricular activities organised by different departments
Day and residential trips
Form tutor
Daily check-ins with Learning Support Specialist

4.2: What support does the school put in place for children who find it difficult to conform to normal behavioural expectations and how do you support children to avoid exclusion?

Time out cards can be provided to allow students a period of time to ‘cool off’
Guidance on how to support a particular student is sent to all teachers and followed up by a briefing.
Mentors are selected to talk through the trigger of the unacceptable behaviour
Quiet areas are available where the student can work
Contracts and guidelines for persistent inappropriate behaviour
Regular meetings with parents to ensure support at home.
Managed move system

4.3: What medical support is available in the school for children with SEND?

The majority of the school staff have attended basic first aid training
Staff will undergo any training needed to support the medical needs of a child
Student support are available to administer medicine and provide basic first aid
Epi-pen trained staff
Staff and young people all aware of where to go for medical support
Two defibrillators are available on site and there are staff trained to use them
Regular meeting with parents and students to review and amend, if necessary, the medical support.

4.4: How does the school manage the administration of medicines?

Medication is kept in Student Support
Appropriately trained staff
Where appropriate, staff are made aware of any allergies or medical conditions that students suffer from
Parents provide spare inhalers, epi-pens and emergency high sugar content sachets for emergencies.
Asthmatic students should carry their inhalers with them at all times
Regular meeting with parents and students to review and amend, if necessary, the administration of medication.
Administration of prescribed drugs policy on website

4.5: How does the school provide help with personal care where this is needed, eg. help with toileting, eating etc?

Disabled toilet facilities
1:1 support is available for personal care or meal times if required
Staff training to ensure that intimate care is carried out safely and sensitively; meeting the needs of the student

Specialist services and expertise available at or accessed by the school

5.1: What SEN support services does the school use, eg. specialist support teachers, educational psychologists, teachers for hearing impairment and visual impairment, ASD advisory teachers, behaviour support teachers etc?

Family support workers e.g. Assist
CAMHS doctor
Occupational Therapists
Physiotherapists
Speech and Language Therapists
External teachers for hearing impaired students
ASD support
Behaviour Support
Educational psychologists
Parenting
Youth Offending Service
Police liaison officers
School nurse
Foundry

5.2: What should I do if I think my child needs support from one of these services?

Speak to the SENCO who will advise of the next steps and make referrals as necessary

5.3: How are speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy services provided?

If a referral is made the specialists come in to school to meet with the young person and observe their needs, a support plan is put in place where appropriate
School staff support the needs of the students as directed by the specialists

5.4: What should I do if I think my child needs to be seen by a speech and language therapist, occupational therapist or physiotherapist?

Speak to the SENCO who will advise of the best course of action

5.5: What arrangements does the school have for liaison with Children's Social Care services?

The designated safeguarding lead or at school can contact Children’s Social Care services

Training of school staff in SEND

6.1: What SEND training is provided for teachers in your school?

Frequent meetings between the SENCO and the HOY occur every two weeks to discuss students with SEND
Concerns can be shared in year team meetings and fed back to the SENCO
Training is provided dependent on current needs of particular students
SENCO attends relevant training and shares with colleagues
Whole school inset days can be allocated to SEND training

6.2: What SEND training is provided for teaching assistants and other staff in your school?

Regular LSA training to ensure that they are up to date on the needs of individual students.
Local Authority training days
Attend specific courses run by other agencies

6.3: Do teachers have any specific qualifications in SEND?

The SENCO holds the National SENCO Accreditation qualification
The SENCO has a qualification in psychometric testing: Assessment and Access Arrangements CPT3A

6.4: Do teaching assistants have any specific qualifications in SEND?

Teaching Assistants are given opportunities to attend courses and training to further develop their knowledge and understanding of areas of SEN. Recent courses attended include Nurture Assistants, Early Bird plus, Dyslexic, Speech and Language Support, occupational therapy support

Activities outside the classroom including school trips

7.1: How do you ensure children with SEND can be included in out of school activities and trips?

All children are included in our out of school activities and risk assessments are undertaken in line with local authority guidelines.

1:1 support can be provided dependent on the level of need

7.2: How do you involve parents / carers in planning the support required for their child to access activities and trips?

Through discussions (meeting or phone call) between parents and school staff. Advice is also taken from the place to be visited in terms of their facilities and accessibility.

Accessibility of the school environment

8.1: How accessible is the building for children with mobility difficulties / wheelchair users?

Lifts and slopes have been provided across the school site to allow disabled access to the majority of teaching areas.
Assessible toilets are available

8.2: Have adaptations / improvements been made to the auditory and visual environment?

Pupils with a hearing impairment have the use of radio aids
Risk assessments are completed and adaptations are made when necessary
Advice is taken from outside agencies regarding adaptations in teaching areas for each student as needed
IT equipment is provided

8.3: Are there accessible changing and toilet facilities?

Disabled toilet access
If students need more privacy due to their SEND they may get changed in student support.

8.4: How do you ensure that all the school's facilities can be accessed by children with SEND?

The school was originally founded in 1931, therefore the design and layout of the site was not ideal for disabled access. The school has recently undergone extensive refurbishment to ensure, so far as possible the school is accessible to all young people.

The school is open to suggestions from parents and students on how to further improve the accessibility of the site.

8.5: How does the school communicate with parents / carers who have a disability?

See 3.4
The most appropriate and effective way to communicate will be based on individual needs

8.6: How does the school communicate with parents / carers whose first language is not English?

Support is sought from other speakers of their native language, either in school or externally.

Preparing my child to join the school or to transfer to a new school or the next stage of education and life

9.1: What preparation will there be for both the school and my child before he or she joins the school?

Regular liaison between the SENCO and the primary schools to identify children in year 5 and 6 with SEND and the support in place.
School visits with school staff, the HoY and SENCo where necessary
Liaison with the current school and visits to the child in a setting familiar to them
Photos are provided of key members of staff and the school building
Booklets are provided with key information
Meetings with the family and key specialists involved with them
Additional transition and induction days are available to students who need them
The SENCO or an appropriate member of staff will attend TAFs and annual review meetings
If a student is identified as needing extra provision, the SENCO will contact parents and devise an effective transition plan (this can start from year 5 onwards)

9.2: How will my child be prepared to move on to the next stage within school, e.g. class or key stage?

Taster days are provided for movement between the key stages
One to one interviews with senior staff on choices at KS4 and KS5
Teachers pass on relevant information to the new setting
Students are encouraged to attend relevant open days
Careers topics in PSHE lesson
Careers manager operates an open door policy at lunch and break times every day in school
Careers manager will liaise with parents if necessary

9.3: How will my child be prepared to move on to his or her next school?

As above

9.4: How will you support a new school to prepare for my child?

Meet and discuss individual needs and share profile of needs
Suggest the new school come to visit the student in a familiar setting
The learning support assistant or a member of staff can accompany the student on a visit to the new school
Share good practice and strategies with the new school
Vulnerable child transition plans are offered by some schools

9.5: What information will be provided to my child's new school?

In discussion and agreement with parents, the school will share information about academic attainment, standardised test results, specialist reports and effective strategies to best support the student and any child protection notes, if they exist.

9.6: How will the school prepare my child for the transition to further education or employment?

Liaison with the SENCO at college
Allow the child to attend open days with LSA support
In house careers advice
External careers advice
Additional visits to the new setting

Who can I contact to discuss my child ?

10.1: Who would be my first point of contact if I want to discuss something about my child or if I am worried?

The Head of Year or the SENCO

10.2: Does the school offer any specific support for parents / carers and families (such as Family Support Workers?)

Not currently

10.3: What arrangements does the school have for signposting parents / carers to external agencies which can offer support, such as voluntary agencies?

The school has an up to date details to contact relevant agencies
School are always happy to help identify support groups as needed

10.4: What arrangements does the school have for feedback from parents, including compliments and complaints?

The first point of contact for complaints should be the SENCO or Head of year
If a parent/carer feels that this does not resolve the issue they may contact the Co- Head teachers
The school has a complaints policy that can be found on the school website

School Admissions and Policy Documents