As much as possible, we empower students with SEND to access mainstream lessons. We have Code of Practice Leads for four main areas of SEND to ensure consistent support across the Academy. The four broad areas are:

• Social Emotional Mental Health Needs (SEMH)
• Cognition & Learning Needs (C&L)
• Communication & Interaction Needs (C&I)
• Physical, Sensory & Medical Needs (PSM)

One of our big areas of staff training this year is around Autism Awareness, and we are proud to be part of the Autism in Schools Project. Staff. This has created a buzz around the academy as many staff have made plans around what more they can do to support students in their lessons - and some students have reported that they feel more ‘seen’ as a result of this ongoing project. 

 

The Inclusion Zone

 

This year we created a new space for SEND on the quieter second floor, where we can support small groups of students in a variety of ways. This zone includes:

• Intervention Rooms for small group work, including on emotional literacy, reading, draw to talk and many more.
• The Reintegration Room where students can spend a limited amount of time in a quiet space where they can study until they are ready to rejoin a mainstream classroom. This room is accessed by students with agreement from parents/carers and staff.
• The Regulation Room includes four areas where students can learn to and practice self-regulation and manage the big emotions they might be feeling.

Here are some students showing us around the Regulation Room and some of the activities they can use to self-regulate.

 

 

Involving Parents

We have enjoyed working with Parent Champion Tanya on organising a SEND Marketplace Event in March which brought statutory and community support services together in our Theatre for parents and carers to talk to. Since then, we have also started a programme of monthly Coffee Mornings facilitated by Tanya and aiming to help develop a network where parents and carers can help each other as well as to share their experiences of having children with SEND at the academy.

 

 

Meet one of our SEND Teaching Assistants

Mr Smith is one of our team of TAs and he works to support students, including those with SEND. 

On a typical day, Mr Smith will spend much of his time in our Science labs. He is our link TA for Science, so each day he will be supporting teachers by ensuring that students with SEND have any extra resources they need, that they understand the instructions they are given and much more.

Mr Smith has built strong working relationships with many students who know they can go to him for help. And he’s very active outside lessons too - he even runs a popular inclusive football after-school club in his own time.