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SEND Information

The Carlton Academy SEND Information Report - September 2023

The kinds of SEN that are provided for at The Carton Academy

The Carlton Academy is committed to the provision of equal opportunities for all students. We support students with a wide range of needs. Our school currently provides additional and/or different provision for a range of needs including:

  • Communication and interaction, for example, autistic spectrum condition, Asperger’s Syndrome, speech and language difficulties.
  • Cognition and learning, for example, dyslexia, dyspraxia
  • Social, emotional and mental health difficulties, for example, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Sensory and/or physical needs, for example, visual impairments, hearing impairments, processing difficulties, epilepsy

Policies for identifying children and young people with SEN and assessing their needs, including the name and contact details of the SEN

We will assess each student’s current skills and levels of attainment on entry, which will build on previous setting’s data. Class teachers will make regular assessments of progress for all students and identify those whose progress:

  • 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
  • Widens the attainment gap

This may include progress in areas other than attainment, for example, social needs. Slow progress and low attainment will not automatically mean a student is recorded as having SEND. When deciding whether special educational provision is required, we will start with the desired outcomes, including the expected progress and attainment, and the views and the wishes of the student and their parents. We will use this to determine the support that is needed and whether

The SENCO is Ruth Coleman – r.coleman@theacademycarlton.org

The Assistant SENCO is Miss E Cooke - e.cooke@theacademycarlton.org

Arrangements for consulting parents of children with SEN and involving them in their child’s education.

We will have an early discussion with the student and their parents when identifying whether they need special educational provision. These conversations will make sure that:

  • Everyone develops a good understanding of the student’s areas of strength and difficulty
  • Parents’ concerns are listened to
  • Everyone understands the agreed outcomes sought for the child
  • Everyone is clear on what the next steps are

Notes of these early discussions will be added to the student’s record and given to their parents. We will formally notify parents when it is decided that a student will receive SEND support.

There are then 3 review dates set throughout the year to discuss progress.

Arrangements for consulting young people with SEN and involving them in their education

Student voice is valued at The Carlton Academy. We value and celebrate children being able to express their views on all aspects of school life. Students with SEND are involved in the planning around their education and welfare through review meetings.

Arrangements for assessing and reviewing children and young people’s progress towards outcomes. This should include the opportunities available to work with parents and young people as part of this assessment and review

We follow the graduated approach and the four-part cycle of assess, plan, do, review.

The class or subject teacher will work with the SENDCo to carry out a clear analysis of the student’s needs. This will draw on:

  • The teacher’s assessment and experience of the student
  • Their previous progress, attainment and behaviour
  • Other teachers’ assessments, where relevant
  • The individual’s development in comparison to their peers and national data
  • The views and experience of parents
  • The student’s own views
  • Advice from external support services, if relevant

The assessment will be reviewed regularly. 

All teachers and support staff who work with the student will be made aware of their needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required. We will regularly review the effectiveness of the support and interventions and their impact on the student’s progress.

Arrangements for supporting children and young people in moving between phases of education and in preparing for adulthood. As young people prepare for adulthood outcomes should reflect their ambitions, which could include higher education, employment, independent living and participation in society

We will share information with the school, college, or other setting the student is moving to.

Students are supported with

  • College applications
  • Transition visits
  • Sharing of access arrangement data and pupil profile information
  • Support visits to the new setting

The approach to teaching children and young people with SEN

Teachers are responsible and accountable for the progress and development of all the students in their class. Quality First Teaching is our first step in responding to students who have SEND, as they receive the high quality teaching others do in the classroom. This will be differentiated for individual students using strategies such as scaffolding, chunking the work, modelling and grouping of students within the classroom. We encourage the use of seating plans and individualised strategies based on pupil profiles such as questioning techniques, checking understanding and giving longer time for processing of a task.

We also provide the following interventions:

  • In-class support
  • Lexia
  • Socially Speaking
  • Mind Mapping
  • Talk for Teenagers
  • Think Good Feel Good
  • Memory Recall
  • Pupil Profiles

How adaptations are made to the curriculum and the learning environment of children and young people with SEN

The Carlton Academy is an average size school on one site. All subject areas are accessible for all students who use wheelchairs or who have physical disabilities. There is a lift on site. Information from primary schools is gathered so that the school is prepared for students with disabilities. Additional transition visits can be made and the school liaises with parents, professionals and outside agencies on adjustments that might be needed.

The school’s accessibility plan can be found here

We ensure each child can access a broad and balanced curriculum, is the responsibility of every teacher, supported by the Curriculum Leaders and SENDCo. The curriculum ensures that it promotes the inclusion of all pupils.

All teachers are teachers of SEN. Classroom teachers are updated regularly on the needs of pupils by the school’s SENCO and supported as necessary. 

  • Differentiating our curriculum to ensure all students are able to access it, for example, by grouping, 1:1 work, teaching style and content of the lesson
  • Adapting our resources and staffing
  • Using recommended aids, such as laptops / tablets, coloured overlays/paper, visual timetables and larger fonts
  • Differentiating our teaching using our student profiles which gives individual strategies of support.

We have teaching assistants who are trained to deliver evidence-based interventions such as Lexia. Teaching assistants support students in small groups when needs are identified for additional learning support. A small number of children get 1-1 support.

We have an accessibility policy on our website which gives further information on this.

The expertise and training of staff to support children and young people with SEN, including how specialist expertise will be secured

We have a team of experienced and qualified teaching assistants, an assistant SENCo and SENCo. The SEN team in school and the teachers receive ongoing training around a range of needs. The TAs receive on going training to ensure they are up to date with new practice.

The Carlton Academy believes in joint planning and commissioning of services to ensure close co-operation between education, health services and social care. This collaborative working ensures that we continue to build strong relationships with external support services to fully support our SEND students, aid school inclusion and provide support for parents. The school works closely with professionals and encourages them to attend student reviews.   

We work with the following agencies to provide support for students with SEND

  • Schools and Families Specialist Services
  • CAMHS
  • Early Help
  • Healthy Families
  • Health including Paediatrician, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy
  • Social Care
  • Educational Psychologist
  • Communication and interaction team
  • Cognition and learning team

Evaluating the effectiveness of the provision made for children and young people with SEN

At The Carlton Academy we regularly monitor the effectiveness of the provision through provision mapping, tracking progress and pupil progress meetings. The student’s performance during interventions is monitored and evaluated regularly. Class teachers and the SEND department make on-going assessments. We also meet regularly with parents/carers and children and young people.

The support provided consists of a four-part process:

  • Assess
  • Plan
  • Do
  • Review

This is an on-going cycle to enable the provision to be defined and revised as the understanding of the needs of the student grows. This cycle enables the identification of those interventions which are the most effective in supporting a student to achieve good progress and outcomes. 

We evaluate the effectiveness of provision for students with SEND by: 

  • Reviewing students’ individual progress towards their goals each term
  • Reviewing the impact of interventions 
  • Using student questionnaires
  • Monitoring by the SENDCo
  • Holding annual reviews for students with EHC plans

How children and young people with SEN are enabled to engage in activities available with children and young people in the school who do not have SEN

The Carlton Academy is committed to inclusion for all students. All of our Opportunities programme and school visits are available to all our students, including our enrichment activities after-school. All students are encouraged to go on our residential trips and to take part in sports day/school plays/special workshops etc. No student is ever excluded from taking part in these activities because of their special needs or disability. If the barrier to participation is transport, specialist transport can be arranged to ensure attendance. 

  • Students will be supported by Learning Support staff to allow access to activities and visits
  • Risk assessments are completed to ensure all needs are covered and met
  • Discussion with parents take place to ensure students’ needs are met

Support for improving emotional and social development. This should include extra pastoral support arrangements for listening to the views of children and young people with SEN and measures to prevent bullying

The Carlton Academy has a family-centred approach with the child and family at the heart of SEND support and practice. The school ensures that student and parent voice is heard so that we can deliver a co-ordinated plan for the young person.

We provide support for students to improve their emotional and social development in the following ways:

  • Students with identified needs have a Tutor who students know they can come and speak to regarding all issues, including any bullying.
  • Students have access to the Pupil Achievement Centre (PAC) for support during unstructured times and after school when we run a Homework Club. Support staff are available to report any incidents to.
  • SEND students are also supported by the House Team and encouraged to report any issues to them. 
  • Students with SEND are encouraged to be part of the school council and take on roles within the house system
  • Students with SEND are also encouraged to be part of extra-curricular clubs to promote teamwork/building friendships etc.

How the school involves other bodies, including health and social care bodies, local authority support services and voluntary sector organisations, in meeting children and young people’s SEN and supporting their families

The school uses the following referrals to request support from external agencies when the needs of the student meets the referral criteria identified by each organisation.

  • Early Help Assessment Form (EHAF)
  • CAMHs Consultation
  • Challenging Behaviours Pathway
  • Healthy Families Team
  • Ask Us Nottinghamshire
  • Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (County)
  • Paediatricians
  • Multi Agency Request Form (City)
  • Health Related Education Team (HRET)
  • Springboard (Schools and Families Specialist Services and Educational Psychology)

Arrangements for handling complaints from parents of children with SEN about the provision made at the school

Complaints about SEND provision in our school should be made to the SENDCo who will try to resolve any difficulties and will be able to advise on formal procedures for the complaint. A copy of the school’s complaints policy is available on the school’s website.

The above includes arrangements for supporting children and young people who are looked after by the local authority and have SEN.

Contact details for SEND staff in school 

The following details cover the roles in school who are supporting the needs of students with SEND.

SENDCO: Miss R Coleman r.coleman@theacademycarlton.org

The local authority local offer

Our contribution to the local offer can be found here: The Carlton Academy | Notts Help Yourself

Monitoring arrangements

This policy and information report will be reviewed by Miss Coleman, SENDCo every year. It will also be updated if any changes to the information are made during the year. It will be approved by the governing board.

The arrangements for the admission of disabled students

The Carlton Academy is a fully inclusive school which welcomes all students. The admission arrangements for all students are in accordance with national legislation including the Equality Act 2010. This includes children with any level of SEND, those with Education, Health and Care Plans and those without.

The steps you have taken to prevent disabled students from being treated less favourably than other students

The Carlton Academy values the abilities and achievements of all its students, and is committed to providing each student with the best possible environment for learning. At The Carlton Academy we have adopted a whole-school approach to SEND policy and practice. All staff are committed to the principles and aims of this policy. Students identified as having SEND are, as far as is practicable, fully integrated into mainstream classes. Every effort is made to ensure that they have full access to the National Curriculum and are integrated into all aspects of the school.

The facilities you provide to help disabled students to access the school

Please find further information in our accessibility plan.

Arrangements for supporting children and young people who are looked after by the local authority and have SEN. 

The SENCO ensures the students with SEND and looked after are on the SEND register and get the relevant provision which is shared at PEP and LAC reviews.