Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)

This information is provided to detail our SEND policies and provision in response to the SEND regulations.

Learning Support Practitioners

At Pershore High School, we believe that all pupils, no matter their individual needs, are entitled to a high quality and inclusive education that allows them to thrive in society.

We ensure all students have access to an inclusive provision, to ensure that all learners can benefit from and enjoy a broad and balanced curriculum. We are dedicated to narrowing the attainment gap between SEND students and non-SEND students by offering a variety of personalised learning interventions and opportunities.

Our school currently provides additional and/or different provision for a range of needs, including:

• Communication and interaction, for example, autistic spectrum disorder and 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.

• Moderate learning difficulties

Under the code of practice the school is legally required to publish the following documents:

SEND Information Report

SEND Policy

You can view these on our SEND Policies Page:

Graduated Response to Special Educational Needs

The Director for Learning Support and Inclusion co-ordinates the referrals, assessments and Individual Provision Maps through the relevant personnel and in full consultation with parents/carers. The school adopts a graduated approach to match the special educational provision to the needs of students, with due regard to the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Code of Practice; 0 to 25 years (2015), the Graduated Response within Worcestershire and The Equality Act 2010. It is acknowledges that the request for support for individual students can occur at any time. The identification of a student’s SEND may take a variety of forms including;

• Identification from Primary schools
• Identification from Pershore High School staff
• Identification from external agencies
• Assessments carried out for reading, spelling and numeracy, including CAT testing
• Evidence from teacher, teaching assistant, outside agencies observation and assessment
• Standardised screening or assessments
• Parental concern
• A pupil asks for help

All students are entitled to personalised learning which meets their needs within the classroom environment. Personalised provision should consider students’ starting data and teachers should track the progress of each student in their class. Under the Equality Act (2010) students are entitled to have equal access to the curriculum; this will mean that for a number of students (which includes those with a Special Educational Need and/or Disability) work should be differentiated to meet their needs. The Inclusion team have a number of staff who are experienced in differentiating work and who are available to support teaching with differentiation on request.

Exam Access Arrangements / Reasonable Adjustments

Students may require reasonable adjustments for formal assessments and external examinations. The Director of Learning Support and Inclusion and Assistant SENDCo have the required Level 7 qualification in assessing for exam access arrangements.

Students are identified via a referral process and all assessments will be communicated with parents/carers.

Consulting Parents

All parents of students with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) will be invited to attend and provide feedback at their child’s annual review. Regular contact will be kept with parents throughout the school year.

The SENDCo is available at all parents’ evenings throughout the year, on request.

Parents and carers are contacted throughout the year, as and when required to discuss the outcomes of learning assessments.

All parents/carers are invited and encouraged to contact the Inclusion department if they feel that their child has any additional needs that require support.

Student Voice

All students on the SEND register have an profile of needs to assist teachers in their individualised support within the classroom. These are reviewed termly with the Director of Learning Support and Inclusion, Inclusion Manager and Assistant SENDCo.

We have an open door policy and all students are welcome to come and speak to the team about any difficulties they are having.

Facilities

Pershore High School has a range of resources, which enable the staff to cater for the needs of a wide range of students. Facilities include:

• Portable word processing devices
• Access to the school’s PC network
• Access to spell-checkers and multi-media facilities
• A medical room
• A lift to the first floor teaching areas
• Disabled toilets and an adapted changing room
• Learning Support Staff
• Pastoral Mentor
• Inclusion Classroom
• Sensory / Break-out room
• 2 Intervention rooms
• Mainstream Autism Base

What is Thrive?

Thrive is a whole school approach to support children with their emotional and social development to enable them to engage with learning. Early identification of emotional development needs builds resilience and reduces the risk of mental illness.

Through observations and Thrive online, adults in school are able to select age-appropriate strategies and activities to support children’s emotional development. All children will benefit from the Thrive approach, enhancing emotional and social skills, and improving emotional well-being. Some children may not have had the life experiences required to equip them to regulate their emotions. A sudden life-changing event can lead to a child underachieving because of behaviours that cause a barrier to their learning.

By using Thrive we will

• Develop a holistic approach to support children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
• Provide early identification and effective support for children who are experiencing emotional, social or behavioural difficulties.
• Provide an environment for children to safely express and explore strong feelings which are creating barriers to learning.
• Develop supportive relationships between peers, and between children and adults in school.
• Support children to regulate and self soothe leading to resilience, academic progress and positive relationships.
• Provide children with strong foundations that will carry them through into adulthood

For more information about Thrive see the website: www.thriveapproach.co.uk or contact Mrs N Ambrose, Thrive Practitioner at Pershore High School. 

Useful Links

(IPSEA) Independent Provider of Special Education Advice

SENDIASS Worcestershire and Herefordshire (hwsendiass.co.uk)

SOS!SEN | The Independent Helpline for Special Education Needs (sossen.org.uk)

SEND Local Offer | Worcestershire County Council

Pershore High School - Learning Support and Inclusion (padlet.com)

Autism West Midlands | Supporting the Autistic Community

Welcome to ASPIE - ASPIE

Health services for children and young people with SEND | Health services for children and young people with SEND | Worcestershire County Council

Resources (councilfordisabledchildren.org.uk)

DIAL South Worcestershire - Disability Information, Advice & Support (dialsworcs.org.uk)

Worcester Dyslexia Parent Group - support group for parents with children who have dyslexia | Worcestershire County Council