INTRODUCTION
At Cardinal Wiseman School students are growing to be…

Cardinal Wiseman Catholic Technology College is dedicated to promoting a distinctive Catholic ethos by upholding the teachings of the Catholic Church and promoting the Wiseman Virtues formed from the Gospel and rooted in the person of Christ. Our mission statement of ‘Forward in Faith’ shapes our aims as a school and we are committed to developing the full potential of every individual, regardless of culture, race, religion, disability, or special need by creating a safe, orderly environment where all members of the community work diligently in a spirit of cooperation and treat each other with courtesy and respect at all times. Cardinal Wiseman therefore aims to make provision for any pupil who has SEND, to ensure they are able to access the curriculum, make progress, and integrate fully into the school community.

AIMS OF THE SEND POLICY

Through the aims of this policy students will become intentional in their attitude to school and faith-filled in how they respond to their educational opportunities.

  • To improve the attainment and progress of SEND students at Cardinal Wiseman Catholic Technology College.
  • To ensure that information about students’ SEN needs is be up-to-date and communicated between subject teachers.
  • To improve the level of Quality First Teaching, as part of a graduated approach to supporting SEN.
  • To provide effective interventions in the LSC to give targeted support for SEN where required.
  • To promote effective partnerships with outside agencies, providing specialist support for those whose SEN require it.
  • To make SEN a priority for those associated with the school including students, parents, teachers and governors.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND ROLES

Through the well-defined roles and responsibilities students will be eloquent about their language learning needs, and will be hopeful in how they try to overcome learning difficulties. 

Parents’ Responsibilities

Parents should support their child’s learning needs by attending meetings to review Learning Support Plans, by and by providing opportunities for home learning.

Students’ Responsibilities

Students are responsible for the following, with regard to their learning:

  • Students should attend interventions punctually, and do their best within those interventions.
  • When they are unsure in lessons, students should ask the teacher.
  • Students should attempt to engage with the strategies being used to support them, as recommended on the Learning Support Plan.
  • Students should attempt to interact positively with their peers in school.

Staff Responsibilities

All the staff at Cardinal Wiseman Catholic Technology College will provide an ethos which places a high value on inclusive teaching and learning for SEND learners.

Class Teachers

  • Contribute to the writing of Learning Support Plans for individual SEND students.
  • Ensure they are aware of students’ barriers to learning, as described on their Learning Support Plan.
  • Plan lessons which use the differentiation strategies recommended as part of the Learning Support Plans.
  • Communicate with the SENCO about any new information that arises about students’ learning difficulties.

SENCO

  • Maintain an accurate register of all students at the school who have SEND.
  • Monitor students’ progress in interventions, and update the timetable accordingly.
  • Coordinate the writing of Learning Support Plans with input from subject teachers, to ensure students’ learning difficulties are identified and shared, as well as strategies to support them..
  • Organise termly parental review meetings in which students and their parents have the opportunity to read and contribute to the Learning Support Plans.
  • Analyse the termly tracking data of SEND students, and follow up on the findings of this with learning walks, work scrutiny, and strategic recommendations, and feedback on these to teachers as necessary. 

Governing Body

  • Approve the policy and any proposed changes.
  • To be aware of the vision for SEND and to support the strategies being used to achieve this..
  • To hold the school to account by providing challenge to its work and data on SEND.
  • To monitor the effectiveness of strategies used to improve progress and participation of SEND students.
  • The governing body challenges the school and its members to secure necessary provision for any pupil with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities.
  • To ask probing questions to ensure all teachers are aware of the importance of providing for these pupils and ensure that funds and resources are used effectively.
  • The school’s SEN Governor meets with the school SENCOs termly to discuss progress.
  • The governing body has decided that pupils with special educational needs will be admitted to the school in line with the school’s agreed admissions policy.

PROCEDURES

Through clear procedures we will foster a community where students have curious about learning land self-improvement, and are active in tackling their learning difficulties. 

There are four broad categories of SEN:

  • communication and interaction
  • cognition and learning
  • social, emotional and mental health
  • physical and sensory.

We have pupils in all these categories of SEN.

  • We are working more closely with parents and pupils to ensure that we take into account the child’s own views and aspirations and the parents’ experience of, and hopes for, their child.
  • All pupils benefit from ‘Quality First Teaching’: this means that teachers expect to assess, plan and teach all pupils at the level which allows them to make progress with their learning. ‘Every teacher is a teacher of every child including those with ’ In addition, we implement some focused interventions to target particular needs and skills.

We have high expectations of all our pupils. We expect pupils on our SEND register make progress which compares well with the progress made by other pupils in school.

Identification of SEND 

The 2014 Code of Practice says that:

A person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her. At compulsory school age this means he or she has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others the same age, or, has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools.

Taken from 2014 SEN Code of Practice: 0 to 25 Years – Introduction xiii and xiv

Pupils with SEN are identified by one of four assessment routes all of which are part of the overall approach to monitoring progress of all pupils:

  1. The progress of every child is monitored at termly intervals through assessment and tracking data input. Where pupils are identified as not making progress in spite of Quality First Teaching they are discussed with the Deputy Headteacher (curriculum and standards), SENCO, Head of Year, EAL Co-ordinator, Attendance Officer and SLT and a plan of action is agreed. All of the information gathered from within the school about the pupil’s progress, alongside national data and expectations of progress, is considered. This includes high quality and accurate formative assessment.
  1. Class/ Subject teachers are continually aware of pupil’s learning. If they observe that a child, as recommended by the 2014 Code of Practice, is making less than expected progress, given their age and individual circumstances, they will seek to identify a cause. This can be characterised by progress which:
  • is significantly slower than that of their peers starting from the same baseline
  • fails to match or better the child’s previous rate of progress
  • fails to close the attainment gap between the child and their peers
  1. In the transition from primary to secondary all pupils on the SEN register are identified through documentation and transition meetings arranged by the Primary Liaison SLT. That information is shared with the SENCO who then contacts the primary school to arrange further meetings with the pupil and their parents and primary school teachers.
  1. Parents sometimes ask us to look more closely at their child’s learning. We take all parental requests seriously and investigate them all. Frequently, the concern can be addressed by Quality First Teaching or some parental support. Otherwise, the child is placed at SEN Support on our SEN register.

Although the school can identify special educational needs, and make provision to meet those needs, we do not offer diagnoses. Parents are advised to contact their GP if they think their child may have ASD or ADHD or some other disability.

A Graduated Approach

A Graduated Response is adopted for pupils identified as having SEN. A level and type of support is provided to enable the student to achieve adequate progress. Provision is identified and managed by the SENCO but will be planned and delivered by teaching and Learning Support Centre staff. The Assess – Plan – Do – Review cycle is employed here as instructed in the SEN Code of Practice 2014. We conduct SEND reviews termly, where parents and pupils are invited to meet with the SEND team to discuss their learning support plan targets and subject specific progress.

In Cardinal Wiseman there are three levels of support. Wave 1 is what every child can expect from the school. Wave 2 is extra help targeted at particular difficulties. It includes short-term1:1 or small group interventions. Wave 3 is for pupils who have very special and long-term needs.

Wave 1 

‘Every teacher is a teacher of every child including those with SEN.’ Quality First Teaching.

Teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of the pupils in their class, including where pupils access support as co-ordinated by the SENCO. High quality teaching, differentiated for individual pupils, is the first step in responding to pupils who have or may have SEND. Additional intervention and support cannot compensate for a lack of good quality teaching.

Cardinal Wiseman Catholic Technology College regularly and rigorously observes teaching across the school in its observation schedule to maintain standards. It also has termly, rigorous monitoring of all of its pupils. Tracking reports are also completed every term. All of the information gathered from within the school about the pupil’s progress, alongside national data and expectations of progress, is considered. This includes high quality and accurate formative assessment.

Where a child has been identified as having special educational needs they will have a Learning Support Plan (LSP). This is created and reviewed termly by their class teachers with the support of the SENCO.

At Cardinal Wiseman our teachers know how to:

  • Differentiate in their lesson plans using a variety of strategies.
  • Explain things in simple words and in ways that help pupils remember.
  • Give instructions so that pupils listen, understand and remember.
  • Make sure that your child knows how much time they have to get their work done.
  • Ask questions that check out your child’s understanding using the school’s ‘No Hands Up’ rule to facilitate this.
  • Adapt the classroom and the seating plan so that everyone can see and hear.
  • Assess your child’s progress at least once a term and do extra assessments to pinpoint why a child has difficulty learning.
  • Create their lesson plans to accommodate students’ LSPs.
  • Understand and talk with pupils who are shy, worried or angry; and include them in school life.
  • Settle pupils whose behaviour is challenging using the school’s strategies the countdown.

At Cardinal Wiseman, our teachers use:

  • Practical equipment to help pupils understand complicated ideas.
  • Special adaptations, including ICT, for pupils who have difficulty seeing, hearing or moving.
  • Pupil talk and questioning so that pupils are confident about writing.
  • Literacy Strategies in every lesson to help with writing e.g. word mats, mind maps, word banks, writing frames, study cards.
  • Handwriting strategies to support pupils whose writing needs to become more fluent or more legible.
  • Accelerated Reader in DEAR for all pupils every day.
  • Numeracy strategies across the curriculum where appropriate.
  • Homework Support Club to improve study habits for pupils.
  • Feedback through our marking policy which includes teacher, peer and self-assessment.

At Cardinal Wiseman, our teachers get advice from:

  • SLT and Heads of Year who share information about individual student’s welfare, behaviour and learning
  • The SENCO
  • Visiting Speech and Language Therapists
  • The Educational Psychologist (this is a professional who advises on difficulties with learning)
  • Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAHMs) (these professionals advise on emotional needs)
  • SENAR
  • Communications and Autism Team (CAT) and Pupil and School Support (PSS)
  • Physical Difficulties Support Services (PDSS) and other medical specialists.

Wave 2

If a child is not making adequate progress highlighted from our assessment processes then they will be moved to Wave 2. Here children will be added to the SEN register at the SEN Support level. At Cardinal Wiseman, we provide short-term, individual or small-group interventions for pupils who experience barriers to learning. These can be different in each year group and include:

  • Speech and language groups run by trained specialists.
  • Handwriting Support
  • Reading intervention
  • Spelling intervention
  • Paired Reading
  • Numeracy interventions
  • Breakfast club
  • Resilience course (led by Family Support worker)
  • Attendance Support (EWO)
  • Emotional Support (Chaplaincy and Family Support team)

Each intervention is planned and evidenced by LSC staff. That work is reviewed and analysed regularly for effectiveness by the SENCO.

Statutory Assessment / Statements / EHC Plans

If a student fails to make adequate progress in spite of high quality, targeted support at Wave 2 and has demonstrated a significant cause for concern, the school and / or a parent /carer may decide to request that the LA undertakes a statutory assessment. This may lead to the student being provided with an EHC plan.

If the application for an EHC Plan is successful, a member of the Local Authority will call a meeting for parents, the child and the school together with any health or social care professionals who are involved with the family. The meeting will record the child’s strengths, their dreams and aspirations as well as the barriers they face. Following the meeting, the LA will produce the EHC Plan which will record the decisions made at the meeting.

The SENCO is responsible, on a daily basis, for providing support and mentoring, allocating pupils with statements/EHCPs a specified amount of support.

Wave 3

At Wave 3 a child may have a statement of educational needs or an EHCP. At Wave 3 the SENCO may ask some of the following professionals to provide advice, teaching or to prepare a special programme of support for your child. The programme will be carried out by additional adults or teachers who work at Cardinal Wiseman:

  • Intervention and support from specialist teachers of the deaf (as needed)
  • Termly or twice termly visits from specialist teachers of the visually impaired (as needed)
  • Termly or twice termly visits from specialist teachers of pupils who have ASD or Global Delay (as needed)
  • Assessment by an Educational Psychologist
  • A special and personal plan that meets the unique needs of the child.
  • Speech and Language Therapist
  • Psychologist from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHs)
  • If your child has behavioural, emotional or social difficulties, there may be a designated family support worker or lay chaplain.
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Medical staff
  • Physiotherapist

Pupils must have a statement of SEN or an EHC to be part of the provision. Being in the provision means that a child has a personal and unique programme which will include some of the following:

Advice or teaching from a specialist teacher.

Extra 1:1 learning.

Dedicated times each week to improve Speech and Language.

Your child could follow a programme written and monitored by a Speech and Language Therapist.

Small group support for English and Maths.

Managing pupils needs on the SEND register

  • Every child is involved in the assessment cycles including the Pupil Tracking data which enables pupils to be identified as requiring SEND support.
  • Class teachers/ subject teachers are responsible for evidencing the progress of SEND pupils in their classes. The SENCO is responsible for managing the SEND register and keeping it up to date.
  • All interventions will become outcome based and have clear time frames to comply with the SEND Code of Practice 2014 guidance.
  • Every intervention will be monitored and evaluated on a termly basis for effectiveness. LSC staff delivering support and interventions are required to keep accurate, detailed and consistent records of their support and their interventions.
  • Paperwork is continually reviewed and up dated to make sure it is fit for purpose and complies with the guidance in the SEN Code of Practice 2014. LSC files are then monitored by the SENCO and SLT lead.

Criteria for exiting the SEN register

Pupils will exit the SEN register when their progress is in line with local and national expectations and their support is no longer deemed necessary for them to continue to maintain their progress. These discussions will occur in the relevant meetings and parents will be kept informed of any decision relating to their child. 

Supporting pupils and families

At Cardinal Wiseman we aim to have good and informative relationships with all of our parents. Partnership plays a key role in enabling pupils and young people with SEN to achieve their potential. Parents hold key information and have knowledge and experience to contribute to the shared view of a child’s needs. All parents of pupils with special educational needs will be treated as partners given support to play an active and valued role in their child’s education.

If a child is experiencing difficulties, parents will be informed either at parents’ meetings or during informal meetings/contacts to discuss the child’s progress. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to a parent to learn that their child is being identified as having SEN.

Once a child has been identified as having SEN, the LSC staff will invite the parents to a meeting to:

  • formally let them know that their child is being placed somewhere on our register
  • discuss assessments that have been completed
  • agree a plan and provision for the next term.

This is part of the graduated approach cycle of ‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review ‘required in the Code of Practice. The child will be invited to attend all or part of the meeting.

Thereafter, parents – and pupils- are invited to a meeting at least each term to review progress made and discuss their child’s provision for the next term.

Transition into, within and moving on from the school

We understand how difficult it is for pupils and parents as they move into a new class or a new school and will do what we can, according to the individual needs of the child, to make transitions between classes as smooth as possible. This may include, for example:

  • Additional meetings for the parents and child with the SENCO
  • Opportunities to take photographs of key people and places in order to make a transition passport.
  • Enhanced transition arrangements are tailored to meet individual needs.
  • The SENCO manages and oversees arrangements made for pupils to access exams and other assessments.
  • All pupils with a statement are provided with additional careers’ support in year 9 and 11.

Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions

Cardinal Wiseman recognises that pupils at school with medical conditions should be properly supported so that they have full access to education, including school trips and physical education. Some pupils with medical conditions may be disabled and where this is the case the school will comply with its duties under the Equality Act 2010.

Some pupils also have special educational needs (SEN) and may have a statement, or Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan which brings together health and social care needs, as well as their special educational provision and here, the SEND Code of Practice (2014) is followed.

Cardinal Wiseman wishes to ensure that pupils with medical conditions receive appropriate care and support at school. The schools policy for managing the medical conditions of pupils has been developed in line with the Department for Education’s guidance released in April 2014.

Cardinal Wiseman’s policy for, ‘supporting pupils with medical conditions’ is available on our website or on request, from the school office. 

MONITORING AND REVIEWING

Through the process of monitoring and review we will foster a community that is attentive and generous towards the learning needs of SEND students. 

Monitoring and evaluating SEND

  • Every intervention is planned, evidenced, reviewed and analysed regularly for effectiveness.
  • Pupils on the SEN register have their levels and progress reviewed termly by their teachers and the SENCO and are discussed at the LSP Review Meetings with parents. If there are concerns then other strategies to support that child will be implemented.
  • The child’s LSP is then revised and up-dated by the teachers and the SENCO.
  • Teachers are supported in the process through feedback on their LSP strategies and their impact from the SENCO.
  • The SENCOs feedback is monitored by the SLT lead.
  • Our intentions are to evaluate and monitor arrangements to promote an active process of continual review and improvement of provision for all pupils.
  • Due to the climate of reform under the new requirements of the SEN Code of Practice 2014 Cardinal Wiseman will review their SEN policy annually (or sooner in the event of revised legislation or guidance).