What types of support may be suitable and available for my child?
This really depends upon the nature of your child’s needs and difficulties with learning. But our education provisions will match the needs of the four broad areas of need as defined in the SEN Code of Practice:
• Communication and Interaction
• Cognition and Learning
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health
• Sensory and/or Physical Needs
At Thomas’s Academy, we have a three-tiered approach to supporting a child’s learning.
Universal (Wave 1) - this is the quality first teaching your child will receive from her/his class teacher and may include some very minor adaptations to match learning needs.
Targeted (Wave 2) - it may be appropriate to consider making additional short-term special educational provision to remove or reduce any obstacles to your child’s learning. This takes the form of a graduated four-part approach of a) assessing your child’s needs, b) planning the most effective and appropriate intervention, c) providing this intervention and d) reviewing the impact on your child’s progress towards individual learning outcomes. This is monitored through your child’s Record of Development.
• Specific targeted one-to-one or small group interventions may be run outside the classroom. These will be limited to a number of weeks to minimise disruption to the regular curriculum. You will be kept informed by the class teacher of your child’s progress towards learning outcomes.
• Each Year group has a class provision map identifying the type of intervention.
Specialist (Wave 3) - it may be necessary to seek specialist advice and regular long-term support from a specialist professional outside the school in order to plan for the best possible learning outcomes for your child. This may include educational psychology, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, pupil inclusion development service, sensory advisory teachers and the child development service. The school may need to prioritise referrals to these services. However, for a very small number of pupils, access to these specialists may be through an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP).
SEND Provision
• Communication and Interaction
• Physical and Sensory
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health
• Dyslexia
• Dyscalculia
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
How will you support my child to reach his/her learning outcomes?
• The class teacher and other staff working with your child ensure that your child receives appropriate teaching and support in order to reach these outcomes. The Record of Development Plan is reviewed termly.
• External agencies and specialists may also review your child’s progress and adapt their planning accordingly.
How will you help me to support my child’s learning?
• There may be suggested strategies or activities for you to do at home to support your child’s learning.
• Throughout the year, we run parent/carer workshops in school to help you understand the strategies used in school. In addition, we may be able to offer you individual training in specific support strategies relevant to your child.
• The SENDCo may also support you with strategies, resources and ideas for supporting your child’s learning at home.
• You may have an opportunity to meet with other professionals involved in supporting your child.
How is support allocated to children and how do they move between the different levels of support in school?
• Thomas’s Academy receives funding from the Education Fund Agency (EFA). These funds include money to support the learning of children with SEN and/or disabilities.
• The Headteacher, in consultation with the school Governors, decides the budget for SEN provision on the basis of the needs of the children in the school.
• The Headteacher and the SENDCo discuss the effectiveness of the school’s current interventions and provisions and prioritise an action plan, which may include additional or alternative interventions, staff training and equipment needs.
• This process is reviewed regularly to ensure the best possible intervention is provided to those children who require additional support to learn.
What support will there be for my child’s happiness and well-being at Thomas’s Academy?
• At Thomas’s Academy, we believe that the happiness and well-being of all our pupils are paramount. All members of staff take this aspect of school life very seriously.
• At Thomas's Academy, your child’s class teacher, the Learning Assistants, ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistant) and the SENDCo are available to provide support to match your child’s needs.
• Additional support from specialist staff is arranged as needed for individual children, both in and out of the classroom.
• Our Behaviour Policy, which includes guidance on expectations, rewards and sanctions, is fully understood and in place by all staff. We regularly monitor attendance, support children returning to school after an absence and take the necessary actions to prevent prolonged unauthorised absences.
• You should also feel free to contact your child’s class teacher if you have any concerns.